Fire strands Canadian sub - One crewmember died

"A Canadian submarine with 57 crew on board was adrift in heavy seas off Scotland on Tuesday after an electrical fire knocked out power to the boat as it was making its maiden voyage to Canada.

Nine members of HMCS Chicoutimi suffered smoke inhalation but no one was seriously injured, the navy said.

"The boat is without power and has only limited means of communicating at this time," said Commodore Tyrone Pile, commander of Canadian Fleet Atlantic.

The submarine, which was drifting about 370 kilometres west of Scotland, was also without propulsion from its two diesel-electric engines.

Two British frigates and a tow vessel were headed to the stricken sub, but weren't expected to arrive until Wednesday morning.

Pile said the submarine was on the surface and six-metre waves and 60-kilometre winds "were creating some discomfort for the crew.""

Click on the submarine above for full article from CNEWS...

[edit on 2004/10/6 by Hellmutt]

We are SO proud of the monetary support our boys and girls get from Parliment.

for the full story:
news.bbc.co.uk...
We knew about this hours ago.
The embarrassing thing is we (The UK) only officially transferred/sold the sub to the Canadians on Saturday. and:

BBC.news
This is the second time in a month that the Chicoutimi has been involved in a rescue at sea.

We've had the Royal Air force out all day supporting it and the important thing is that although people are hurt no-one is serious enough to need evacuating. ( The RAF would have sorted this out by helicopter if needs be.)

They should be fine for the time being, the sub is on the surface and safe, they just need to hold on for a bit.

Not nearly as embarassing as us buying them. Or our Sea King helicopters unable to rescue them because they fly like well... submarines.

Miscalculations were made in the design of the main motor. During sea trials of the lead ship of the class, it was noticed that an emergency reversal ("crash back") would generate currents of more than 60,000 amps, which resulted in catastrophic and spectacular complete loss of propulsion.

The diesels were originally designed for use in railway locomotives, and were not intended to be rapidly stopped and started. Shutting them down after snorkling led to many failures. Similarly, the motor-generators were operated a full power for longer than expected, and consumed brushes and filters rapidly.

When first launched, the Upholder (Chicoutimi) had a few problems, but they were all supposedly ironed out. But it has served well for some thirty years, I think.

edit: one of those days!

[edit on 10/5/2004 by Montana]

Originally posted by tobermory
for the full story:
news.bbc.co.uk...
We knew about this hours ago.
The embarrassing thing is we (The UK) only officially transferred/sold the sub to the Canadians on Saturday. and:

BBC.news
This is the second time in a month that the Chicoutimi has been involved in a rescue at sea.

We've had the Royal Air force out all day supporting it and the important thing is that although people are hurt no-one is serious enough to need evacuating. ( The RAF would have sorted this out by helicopter if needs be.)

They should be fine for the time being, the sub is on the surface and safe, they just need to hold on for a bit.

I�m not sure if they�ve updated the story on this link. But now they say this:

Winds hampering submarine rescue
"High winds and heavy seas are hampering efforts to rescue a Canadian submarine drifting without power 100 kilometres off the north-west coast of Ireland.

Two Navy ships, tugs and a Sea King helicopter are heading to the vessel, which is to be towed back to Scotland.

Nine crew members were injured in a fire on board the HMCS Chicoutimi.

A Canadian Navy spokesman said: "The problem is the seas are extremely treacherous, with six to eight-metre waves and winds of 35 knots.

"It is going to be extremely difficult for the ships to make it out there, and the sailors are getting tossed to and fro something crazy."

The Ministry of Defence said there were no plans to remove any of the 57-strong crew from the Chicoutimi."

"An air-sea rescue was under way in the North Atlantic last night after a fire on a former British submarine sold to Canada in a controversial deal left the vessel drifting at sea.

The incident will come as a huge embarrassment for the Ministry of Defence, coming only four days after the vessel was formally handed over to the Canadians. It was the last of four such submarines bought in a deal dogged by escalating costs, delays and reports of corrosion, leaks, turbine breakdowns and other technical faults encountered during their refits. Only one is on active service. Some reports have suggested that Canada is considering suing Britain over the deal."

Independent.co.uk: Canadians buy submarine from MoD - Last night: Fire leaves vessel adrift in Atlantic

Click link above for full article...

Originally posted by Hellmutt
The incident will come as a huge embarrassment for the Ministry of Defence, coming only four days after the vessel was formally handed over to the Canadians. It was the last of four such submarines bought in a deal dogged by escalating costs, delays and reports of corrosion, leaks, turbine breakdowns and other technical faults encountered during their refits. Only one is on active service. Some reports have suggested that Canada is considering suing Britain over the deal."

When I first read the article I saw on Drudge earlier today I thought Canada should get their money back. It seems like a rather tacky move on the part of the UK to sell a lemon. On top of that extremely dangerous. Man, imagine if someone had been seriously injured.

"A member of the crew of a Canadian submarine stranded in the Atlantic was tonight fighting for his life, after being airlifted to hospital in an emergency operation.

Doctors were treating the sailor at Sligo General Hospital in the Republic of Ireland, after a Royal Navy helicopter took him and two of his injured colleges ashore.

They were airlifted off of the stricken ship and were forced to land at the nearest hospital after the critical man�s condition rapidly deteriorated.

They were among nine casualties who suffered smoke inhalation after a blaze broke out on the HMCS Chicoutimi when it was 100 miles off the west coast of of Ireland.

British forces mounted a comprehensive operation to go to the Chicoutimi�s rescue, after the captain of the vessel called for help at 3pm yesterday, but have been battling against �treacherous� weather conditions.

A spokeswoman for the hospital tonight said: �The three men landed on the helicopter deck at the hospital almost an hour ago and were rushed in � one of them is in a critical conditions and the other two walked in. Doctors are seeing them just now.�"

Scotsman: 'Critical' Crewman Airlifted off Stranded Submarine
Click link above for full article...

Just heard on the 6 oclock news that Lt. Saunders has died.

I was saddened by the news of the death of this sailor. Let us remember these sailors and their families in our prayers. We are all brothers-in-arms. Here is a copy of the Navy Hymn including the Submariner and the Marine verses. You can hear the hymn and learn of its history on the links provided:

The Navy Hymn

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd'st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Christ! Whose voice the waters heard
And hushed their raging at Thy word,
Who walked'st on the foaming deep,
And calm amidst its rage didst sleep;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

Most Holy Spirit! Who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
And bid its angry tumult cease,
And give, for wild confusion, peace;
Oh, hear us when we cry to Thee,
For those in peril on the sea!

O Trinity of love and power!
Our brethren shield in danger's hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them wheresoe'er they go;
Thus evermore shall rise to Thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

Bless those who serve beneath the deep,
Through lonely hours their vigil keep.
May peace their mission ever be,
Protect each one we ask of thee.
Bless those at home who wait and pray,
For their return by night and day.

Eternal Father, grant , we pray,
To all Marines, both night and day,
The courage, honor, strength and skill
Their land to serve, Thy law fulfill;
Be Thou the Shield forevermore
From ev'ry peril to the Corps.

www.cyberhymnal.org...

www.chinfo.navy.mil...

www.history.navy.mil...

www.muddyboots.net...

www.chinfo.navy.mil...

www.google.com...

Originally posted by deevee
Just heard on the 6 oclock news that Lt. Saunders has died.

A Canadian friend of mine said last he heard the sailor was fine, two hours ago (1830 EST).
So I found the news story, wanted to post the referrance.

www.canada.com...

Misfit

[Edit = time ref]

[edit on 6-10-2004 by Misfit]

Just heard on Global News that Canada "may" have bought the subs to make the USNavy happy. War games with diesel electric subs would be useful as all the enemies of the US use dielsel electric subs. So Canada pays nearly $1Billion of its very limited defense budget to play games with the US. I pray for the sailor's family. This should not have happened.

The USN and the RCN are very tightly integrated. They work together continuously, and share responsibility for the protection of North America. Quite possibly, the two services jointly decided to see if a diesel sub force for coastal protection was a viable option. The UK has a long history of making outstanding diesel subs. With the close ties Canada has with The UK, it only makes sense for them to aquire the subs, in my opinion.

I find it very unlikely that the RCN would buy four subs just because the USN wanted to play a game. The RCN has a proud history of it's own, and would see no need to placate another nation's navy. It is much more likely to be because there was a need in the common defense, and the RCN filled it.

Edit: fumble fingers

[edit on 10/8/2004 by Montana]

Actually they were all but free in that no cash changed hands. They were traded for British Army training activity credits in western Canada.

You get what you pay for but unfortunatley Lt. Saunders payed the ultimate price.

Guardian: No blame in fatal fire on submarine

Canada's navy concluded yesterday that no one was to blame for the death of a young officer killed by an electrical fire last October aboard a submarine bought from Britain.

An investigation report released yesterday by a naval board of inquiry concluded that the fire was the result of seawater splashing on high-voltage cables, and that no one was to blame for death. The board also ruled that the submarine was safe and ready to proceed to sea at the time of the accident.

"The board finds that neither Lt Saunders nor any other person was responsible" for his death, said the 700-page report.

Originally posted by valkeryie
Just heard on Global News that Canada "may" have bought the subs to make the USNavy happy. War games with diesel electric subs would be useful as all the enemies of the US use dielsel electric subs. So Canada pays nearly $1Billion of its very limited defense budget to play games with the US. I pray for the sailor's family. This should not have happened.

So Canada buys a used lemon sub from Great Britain, a sailor dies in a tragedy, and it's the U.S.'s fault? :shk:

BTW, the only major sub fleet that's any match to the U.S. fleet is the Russian nuclear fleet.