Source: Xinhua

02-17-2009 09:47

Special Report:   Tech Max

LONDON, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two British and French nuclear-armed submarines collided in the Atlantic ocean earlier this month, local media reported Monday.

The handout photo from the British Ministry of Defence shows the HMS Vanguard. British and French nuclear submarines collided in the Atlantic Ocean earlier this month, officials admitted Monday, confirming an embarrassing accident involving highly sensitive technology. (Xinhua/ AFP Photo)

Britain's HMS Vanguard and France's Le Triomphant, both carrying atomic weapons, were badly damaged in the crash, the Daily Telegraph and The Sun newspapers reported.

The British sub has been towed to its Faslane base in western Scotland for repairs.

The incident, which occurred on Feb. 3 or 4, caused no injuries nor damage to the vessels' weapons, the reports said.

Despite being equipped with sonar to detect other vessels, neither submarine apparently realized the other was in the same part of the ocean.

The Sun newspaper quoted a senior Royal Navy source as saying that the potential consequences of such a collision were "unthinkable."

"It's very unlikely there would have been a nuclear explosion. But a radioactive leak was a possibility," he said.

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