Stricken submarine under tow to safety
A rescue operation to tow a stricken Canadian submarine to safety started tonight, as a second crewman remained in a critical condition.
Britain's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said salvage vessel the Anglian Price had started towing HMCS Chicoutimi, adrift 140km off the west coast of Ireland, about half an hour ago.
The rescue operation – which has been fraught with difficulty, as British and Irish vessels battled against high seas and galeforce winds to reach the submarine – got under way as weather conditions improved.
The motorised Anglian Prince was towing the Chicoutimi through the Atlantic at a speed of about three knots, an MoD spokeswoman said – the start of a “long process” expected to take until Sunday.
Captain Dave Devenney, of the Canadian navy, told the Press Association, officers hoped to tow the submarine - which lost power following a blaze on board during its maiden voyage - back to Faslane naval base on the Scottish coast.
That would see it return to where it departed from, after being formally handed over during a ceremony on Saturday.
The Chicoutimi, a Victoria-class submarine formerly named HMS Upholder, was sold to the Canadian Navy in 1998, but remained in British hands as BAE Systems prepared it for going back into service.
“She’s going to Faslane – that is the plan just now,” said Capt Devenney. “Anything could happen between then and now, it depends on the weather, but the plan is to bring her in to Scotland.
“It’s calmer now – the weather report is of two to three metre waves and winds of 10-15 knots, coming down from five to six metre swells and 25 knot winds.”
He said the captain of the Chicoutimi had told officers the remaining 54 crew on board were in “excellent spirits”.
He said the commander of the vessel had broken the news of the death of ship mate Lt Saunders to the sailors earlier today.
“They were obviously upset at the loss of a fellow sailor, but understand there’s a job to do and are focused on the recovery,” said Capt Devenney. “They’re continuing to deal with the circumstances.”
He added that another Canadian vessel, the HMCS St John’s had left Newfoundland carrying around 230 crew to rush to the aid of the Chicoutimi.
It hoped to reach the boat before it arrived back at Faslane, so crew could contact relatives and rest following the ordeal.
“If possible, we hope to provide a Canadian vessel for the sailors to get on, have showers, food and call family back home.
“There’s a possibility we’ll relieve some of the crew to give them some rest, but that will be up to the captain.”
The bid to pull the Chicoutimi ashore started as a second crewman fought for his life in hospital.
Master Seaman Archibald MacMaster remained in the intensive care unit at Sligo General Hospital, where his condition was tonight described as “critical, but stable”.
He suffered extensive lung damage in the fire and may have to be put on a ventilator.
His colleague, Petty Officer Denis Lafleur, was in a “stable” condition, a spokeswoman for the hospital said, and had been “walking around the hospital this morning”.
She said Dr Joe McKenna, a medical consultant at Sligo General, was monitoring the two men, both of whom are receiving oxygen, on an on-going basis.
Lieutenant Chris Saunders, a 32-year-old married father-of-two, died at the hospital last night, after the three injured sailors made an emergency landing at the nearest hospital after being airlifted off of the boat.
