The alarms of the Royal Navy According to The Times, Britain’s alarm sounded when one of its four nuclear attack-capable submarines sank to “dangerous sea depths” due to a faulty measuring device. The Vanguard-class submersible, which carried 140 crew members, It was armed with Trident missiles and was operating in the Atlantic at the time of the incident.
The mishap occurred when the device’s depth gauge stopped working as the submarine prepared for a patrol, The Sun reports. The technical error led commanders to understand that the ship was well leveled when fully submerged, when in reality it was sinking uncontrollably. The sinking was only stopped when engineers at the stern of the ship determined the actual depth on a second, properly functioning measuring device and triggered an alarm.
“Technically, the submarine was still at a depth where we know it is operational, but if it ever needs to reach that depth, the entire crew will be sent to operational stations,” a source told the aforementioned newspaper.
The United Kingdom has continually deployed one of its nuclear submarines on patrol missions since 1969 as part of the government’s maritime deterrence policy. The Royal Navy currently has four Vanguard-class ships that alternate in this role.
The British Ministry of Defense has been working for years to replace these submersibles with others Dreadnought class, which are currently being built and are scheduled to be commissioned in the 2030s.
A Royal Navy spokesman said: “Our submarines continue to fulfill their obligations, operate around the world, protect national interests and keep us and our allies safe. “While we do not comment on specific details regarding underwater operations, the safety of our personnel is always our top priority.”