Nuclear sub out of control
mike | 07.05.2004 08:32 | Anti-militarism | Ecology
A British nuclear-powered Trident submarine is out on patrol, submerged, ready, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, to fire sixteen nuclear-armed missiles. Each of these 7,400 km-range missiles has three warheads. Now one of the Hunter Killer subs has run aground and the crew is under revolt unconvinced by the safety.
The controversy over the nuclear submarine the HMS Trafalgar unravels further this week with news that two of the crew are to be investigated for ‘disobedience’. Earlier in the week the MOD were adamant that there was no ‘mutiny’ aboard the ship which famously ‘ran aground’ off Skye two years ago.
This is further embarrassment to the military-machine that uses Scotland as a testing ground for their weapons of war. Now even the Tories are scared of the consequences if the debacle becomes public. At Westminster Lord Astor of Hever asked junior Defence Minister Lord Bach: “Can you confirm that these crew members were specifically concerned about the safety of the nuclear reactor and the safety hatch cupboards?”
Lord Bach replied: “I cannot confirm that.”
And what of the poor people of Skye who almost had that this monster run up on their shores? Are they being reassured or included in updates about the situation? Are they hell, the whole thing is shrouded with the usual secrecy of the British State.
The collision that put the ship out of action for almost a year and a half took place a few miles off the north coast of Skye at a depth of 50 metres, as the Trafalgar travelled at 15 knots. It was on a training exercise when it ran into Fladda-chuain, and became grounded on the bottom of the sea.
The Royal Navy have since tried to pan-off the crew revolt as a medical matter. In a statement the commanding officer had believed that in most cases the 12 crew members concerned were potentially suffering from some sort of stress and said he wanted them properly medically examined.
“One crew member of the 12 stayed on board. The rest were medically examined. Five are now back on board, four were medically downgraded for a month, and the remaining two of the 11 are under investigation for disobedience to orders – but not for mutiny.”
Greenpeace yesterday warned that all of Britain's Trafalgar and Swiftsure class "hunter-killer" submarines should be brought back to port and assessed to ensure a Kursk-type accident does not occur. All 118 crew members of the Russian Kursk submarine died in August 2000 after an on-board explosion.
Jean McSorley, Greenpeace's nuclear spokesperson, said: "This submarine poses a real threat to the Irish sea and the north-east Atlantic.”
This is further embarrassment to the military-machine that uses Scotland as a testing ground for their weapons of war. Now even the Tories are scared of the consequences if the debacle becomes public. At Westminster Lord Astor of Hever asked junior Defence Minister Lord Bach: “Can you confirm that these crew members were specifically concerned about the safety of the nuclear reactor and the safety hatch cupboards?”
Lord Bach replied: “I cannot confirm that.”
And what of the poor people of Skye who almost had that this monster run up on their shores? Are they being reassured or included in updates about the situation? Are they hell, the whole thing is shrouded with the usual secrecy of the British State.
The collision that put the ship out of action for almost a year and a half took place a few miles off the north coast of Skye at a depth of 50 metres, as the Trafalgar travelled at 15 knots. It was on a training exercise when it ran into Fladda-chuain, and became grounded on the bottom of the sea.
The Royal Navy have since tried to pan-off the crew revolt as a medical matter. In a statement the commanding officer had believed that in most cases the 12 crew members concerned were potentially suffering from some sort of stress and said he wanted them properly medically examined.
“One crew member of the 12 stayed on board. The rest were medically examined. Five are now back on board, four were medically downgraded for a month, and the remaining two of the 11 are under investigation for disobedience to orders – but not for mutiny.”
Greenpeace yesterday warned that all of Britain's Trafalgar and Swiftsure class "hunter-killer" submarines should be brought back to port and assessed to ensure a Kursk-type accident does not occur. All 118 crew members of the Russian Kursk submarine died in August 2000 after an on-board explosion.
Jean McSorley, Greenpeace's nuclear spokesperson, said: "This submarine poses a real threat to the Irish sea and the north-east Atlantic.”
mike
Homepage:
http://www.faslanepeacecamp.org.uk/
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