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Nuclear sub collides with amphibious ship

Snakedoc

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I don't think I see this news story posted anywhere else.  Another collision involving a sub.
Snakedoc


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29790709/?GT1=43001

MANAMA, Bahrain - Two U.S. Navy vessels — a nuclear-powered submarine and an amphibious ship — collided during the early morning hours Friday in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian peninsula, the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet reported.

The military said in a statement that the incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. local time on Friday (5 p.m. EDT, Thursday), when the USS Hartford, a submarine, and the USS New Orleans, an amphibious ship, collided.

According to the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, 15 sailors aboard the Hartford were slightly injured but able to return to duty. No injuries were reported aboard the New Orleans.

Both ships were heading to port when the incident occurred in the narrow strait, said Lt. Nate Christensen. He said the incident occurred at night, and the submarine was submerged at the time, but said he could give no further details as the incident is still under investigation.

Both vessels are now heading to port for repairs and evaluation, but Christensen said that following standard security procedures he could not say where the vessels were heading.

The New Orleans suffered a ruptured fuel tank, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel. There was no damage the nuclear reactor powering the Hartford, Christensen said.

Both ships are currently operating under their own power.

The Navy said both ships were on regularly scheduled deployments to the region and conducting security operations.

Oil prices rose after news of the collision which happened in a busy shipping route.

As much as 17 million barrels of oil a day went through the narrow strait in the first half of 2008, or about 40 percent of all seaborne traded oil or 20 percent of all oil traded globally.

The Hartford is based in Groton, Conn., and the New Orleans is based in San Diego, Calif., the Navy said.
 
Isn't that the second incidenti involving nuclear subs colliding with other ships.
Must be submarine mating season or something.
 
The incongruous said:
Isn't that the second incidenti involving nuclear subs colliding with other ships.
Must be submarine mating season or something.

What....they are like cats in heat and rub up against any ol' thing..... ;D
 
Careers are being flushed down the drain.... which means that there are NEW career opportunities coming for the young 'uns coming up.

Gotta look on the bright side - else it's gonna make some people cry :(
 
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sorry about that T6...

Taking into consideration the number of warships plying thoses waters at present, you know that accidents like this are just bound to happen.
 
Perhaps Geo,but I think the onus is on the sub crew for this mishap.
 
I don't doubt it...

Obviously either they came up too fast for the traffic surrounding them (thus a reason) OR they just didn't dive fast enough...

Regardless, the US is out two warships, one of which is an Amphib unit platform - with all the resources it has at it's disposal.
 
geo said:
Obviously either they came up too fast for the traffic surrounding them (thus a reason) OR they just didn't dive fast enough...
Sorry, but this is just another "WTF" moment....

I don't believe there is a doctrinally-correct speed for a submarine to surface into another vessel. Nor do I believe submerging to avoid peacetime traffic is a commonly required manoeuver.

There are standard "rules of the road" for mariners, quite similar to the Highway Traffic Act's provisions. There are also navigation aids, buoys, and harbour regulations to coordinate ship traffic. Apparently, one or more of the Captains involved screwed up.

But at the end of the day.......I wasn't there.
 
karl28 said:
          Now that's gonna be an expensive Oops .

Definitely an expensive oops, thanks for the pictures T6, interesting to see the actual damage...yikes.
 
Coming up from safe depth to periscope depth is one of the most dangerous evolutions on a boat. The sub CO might just have been unlucky.
 
drunknsubmrnr said:
Coming up from safe depth to periscope depth is one of the most dangerous evolutions on a boat. The sub CO might just have been unlucky.

Not knowing anything about subs, I'm willing to take your word on it, but only if we can get a consensus from Geo. He seems to know alot about driving subs ;)
 
Ok... all in favor ?  The ayes have it ;)

My"logical" take on the situation - sorry if I ruffled someone's feathers.
 
another article on the subject : US navy vessels collide in Gulf


SHIPS IN COLLISION
_45586529_straitofhormuz_0309.gif

USS HARTFORD
Length: 110m (362ft)
Breadth: 10m (33ft)
Displacement: 6,900 tonnes
Crew: 145
USS NEW ORLEANS
Length: 208.5m (684ft)
Breadth: 31.9m (105ft)
Displacement: 24,900 tonnes
Crew: 361
Source: US Dept of Defense

Two US navy vessels have collided in the Strait of Hormuz near Iran, lightly injuring 15 sailors,
the US navy said. A nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Hartford, and amphibious transporter
the USS New Orleans collided early on Friday, the US Navy Fifth Fleet said. The incident is being
investigated and damage to both ships is being evaluated, a navy statement said.

The New Orleans' fuel tank was ruptured in the crash, causing a spill of 25,000 gallons (90,000 litres)
of diesel. No injuries were reported aboard the New Orleans, according to the statement from the
Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain. The US military said there was some damage to the USS
Hartford's sail, the tower structure on the top of the submarine. But the atomic propulsion system
of the submarine was not damaged by the incident, the statement said.

'No disruption'

The navy said both vessels were on regularly scheduled deployments to the region and conducting
security operations. "Both ships are currently operating under their own power," said the statement.

Shipping was not disrupted in the strait after the incident, the navy added. "There is no disruption to
shipping traffic in the strait. Both ships are operating under their own power and have passed through
the strait," said Lieutenant Nathan Christensen, a Fifth Fleet spokesman.

In 2008, more than 15 million barrels of oil were transported through the Strait of Hormuz every day,
equivalent to about 40% of seaborne oil traded globally.

The incident comes a month after a British nuclear submarine was involved in a collision with a French
nuclear sub in the middle of the Atlantic. HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant were badly damaged in
the crash in heavy seas. Both the UK and France insisted nuclear security had not been compromised
by that collision.

The US Fifth Fleet, working alongside US Naval Forces Central Command, patrols an area of about 7.5
million square miles of sea in the Middle East and eastern Africa.

The area covers the coasts of 27 countries and includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and parts of
the Indian Ocean, as well as the important shipping lanes of the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Aden
and the Suez Canal.
 
If you look at the first image you will see a crack along the base of the sail which seems to be the reason the sail is canted. Also it appears that the periscope was not elevated prior to the collision or else it might well have been sheered off.
 
Am wondering if they can have her repaired nearby.... VS the embarassment of having her hauled off back to the USA on a barge - as done with the USS Cole
 
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