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Crashed Subs Carried '1200 Hiroshimas'

Lawmakers demand answers after British, French subs collide under the Atlantic

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 17, 2009 7:15 AM CST

(Newser) – British lawmakers are demanding to know how the flagships of the British and French nuclear submarine fleets—each carrying missiles with enough power for 1,250 Hiroshima bombings—managed to collide earlier this month, the Independent reports. Defense sources say the crash was just incredibly bad luck, but experts are amazed that sonar supposedly keen enough to spot a fish missed vessels several times longer than the biggest whale.

Britain's Ministry of Defense "needs to explain how it is possible for a submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction to collide with another submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction in the middle of the world's second-largest ocean," said an opposition politician in Parliament.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Britain's HMS Vanguard, seen here in a 1992 file photo, limped back to port showing significant damage after a collision with a French submarine earlier this month. (AP Photo/PA, Chris Bacon, File)

The French Le Triomphant submarine collided with Britain's Vanguard submarine under the Atlantic ocean earlier this month. (AP Photo/French Defense Ministry-ECPAD)

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While the British nuclear fleet has a good safety record, if there were ever to be a bang it would be a mighty big one.
- Nick Harvey, defense spokesman of Britain's Liberal Democrat party

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

Guest

Feb 17, 2009 2:55 AM CST

Settle down now.

Shannonals

Feb 17, 2009 2:49 AM CST

Can you imagine what would have happened if they had exploded?

AnnieChrist

Feb 17, 2009 12:04 AM CST

Re: Britain's Ministry of Defense "needs to explain how it is possible for a submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction to collide with another submarine carrying weapons of mass destruction... I wish someone would explain to me why there are planes, trains and boats all over the earth carrying these sorts of payloads. We are supposed to trust that the captains, admirals, et al responsible for oversight of these arsenals are rational, sane people. We just trust them not to go Dr Strangelove on us. This is insane on so many levels, it blows the mind of any rational human being. Yet the military industrial complex tells us over and over we need more of the same and afrightened citizenry buys into it, led by congressmen, prime ministers, presidents etc receivng the kickbacks from the fearmongering. If the money spent for the weapons on these two ships alone had gone to relieving human suffering and poverty, we would be exponentially safer and closer to world peace than any amount of bombs can accomplish.

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Crashed Subs Carried '1200 Hiroshimas'