USS Hartford collided with a US amphibious ship
in Strait of Hormuz . Friday 20 March
AP File Photo
The USS Hartford, a nuclear-powered submarine, and USS New Orleans, an amphibious ship, collided in the Strait of Hormuz early Friday morning. The collision, taking place in one of the world’s most important sea passages, slightly injured 15 sailors and created a heavy diesel spill in the Persian Gulf. One of the New Orleans’s fuel tanks ruptured, causing the spill. There was no report of damage to the submarine’s nuclear propulsion system.
According to the Fifth Fleet spokesman: "It was a night-time event and the submarine was submerged at the time."
ReplyDeleteThe water in the Strait is about 50 meters deep at its narrowest point; the Hartford would be about ten meters in diameter with a six-meter conning tower. This tower is reinforced for under-ice operations. The New Orleans has a draft of about 7 meters.
In order to hit the New Orleans they would have to be within 7 meters of the surface. This indicates they were probably at periscope depth with about thirty meters of water under their keel.
Obviously this is very embarrassing to the US Navy. It seems to happen every few years or so and the captain invariably loses his job over it. Both vessels are said to be out of the Persian Gulf (and likely headed for the repair yard).
My mistake. Both are IN the Persian Gulf and the submarine reported damage to its diving plane. On the Hartford, these are on the bow, which means that the sub was just below the surface of the water. According to the US Navy, they were both headed into the Gulf at the time. The New Orleans is quite badly damaged, with two ballast tanks ruptured.
ReplyDeleteI hpe Iran asks for compensation, the oil slick will have harmed flora and fauna regardless. What is a nuclear submarine doing in this volatile region. Ask questions keep them zionist crazies scared!
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