Details of submarine fire to be released
Further details of the fire which crippled a Canadian submarine and claimed the life of one of its seamen, as well as the heroic rescue effort to return the vessel and its crew safely to shore, were expected to emerge today.
HMCS Chicoutimi, which was left drifting in the Atlantic after last Tuesday’s blaze, limped into HM Naval Base Clyde at Faslane, near Glasgow, with its Canadian flag half mast late yesterday afternoon.
The body of 32 year old crewman Lieutenant Chris Saunders arrived home to a honorary guard in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Sunday afternoon local time.
The father of two young sons was pronounced dead at Sligo General Hospital in where he and two colleagues were airlifted on Wednesday night after suffering from smoke inhalation as efforts were made to extinguish the blaze.
Master Seaman Archibald MacMaster remained in a “serious but stable” condition in intensive care last night, while Petty Officer Denis Lafleur was expected to have been released from hospital by this morning.
The exhausted remaining 54 crew members who endured five days on board the stricken sub as rescuers battled atrocious weather to return it to port, contacted family and friends from their Glasgow hotel last night as officials prepared for an inquiry into the fire.
Canadian Navy officials said some crewmen might speak publicly about their experience later today.
Canadian Defence Minister Bill Graham, is also expected to give a news conference in Glasgow this morning before holding talks about the incident with his UK counterpart, the Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.
Mr Hoon yesterday insisted all four vessels had been brought up to Royal Navy standards after the fire triggered questions about the state of the former British submarine when it and three others were sold to Canada.
The Chicoutimi, formerly named HMS Upholder, was sold in 1998 but remained in British hands as BAE Systems prepared it for going back into service.
“They had undergone rigorous trials and tests and, indeed, Canada has had the opportunity over very many years of surveying the boats and obviously has been in negotiation with the United Kingdom during that period,” Mr Hoon said.
Vice Admiral Bruce MacLean also said he was “absolutely convinced” that the sub was seaworthy when it left Faslane the previous Saturday on its maiden voyage under the Canadian flag.
He said final touches were being put to a board of inquiry, which will begin in earnest at Faslane.
“It’s vital to understand what went on in Chicoutimi during that time at sea,” the Canadian naval officer said.
But he added: “There is no question as well that the submarine business is inherently risky. It’s not without its challenges.
“They are complex pieces of machinery, but let me tell you we would never put to sea a submarine without it being checked and absolutely certified to go to sea.”
Vice Admiral MacLean said the repatriation of Lt Saunders and the successful return of the vessel had made Sunday a “roller-coaster day”.
The sailors in the Chicoutimi had “done some remarkable things” in recent days, he said, while hailing the rescue operation, involving around 400 naval and medical officers, as “just remarkable”.
Andy Webb, commanding officer of HMS Montrose, the first large ship to come to the Chicoutimi’s aid, said the sense of relief and elation was “tinged with sadness” at the loss of Lt Saunders.
He praised the “very close operation” between British and Canadian forces and said there would be “enormous acts of bravery and heroism” emerging over the next few days.
“It’s been a remarkable team effort, but there have been some notable acts of heroism, from the leading diver and the crew of the search and rescue helicopter from HMS Gannet who managed to get the three injured crew off the submarine.
“They showed an amazing feat of flying skills.”
Leading Diver Garth Spence, of the Faslane-based Northern Diving Group which battled to attach the towline to the Chicoutimi in “atrocious” weather conditions, told yesterday how he saved the life of a Canadian submariner washed overboard by a freak wave.
“The problem was rigging the tow on the submarine, with waves crashing sometimes four or five feet above the casing," he said.
“There were crew members on the deck, when a wave came over the front of the submarine and one of them was washed onto the port side.
“He was tethered to the casing using a safety harness which prevented him from floating clear and his feet became trapped under the casing.
“I had to get in and cut him free so I put my flippers on and jumped in.
“He said: ‘Cut me free. I think I only have two breaths left.’ I just sat down next to him and gave him a big hug and told him he was going to be all right.
“He was very panicky. He was scared. I was lucky to grab hold of him because the waves were knocking me about.”
