| Submit your comments on this article |
| Great White North |
| No blame in fatal Canada sub fire |
| 2005-05-05 |
| The Canadian Navy has found that no-one could have foreseen a fatal fire on a former UK Royal Navy submarine. But the naval board found human factors were a link "in the chain" and called for better training and tougher rules. Lt Chris Saunders, 32, died when an electrical fire hit HMCS Chicoutimi three days after it left Scotland. The inquiry said the fire was caused by water hitting high-voltage cables. Two of the sub's conning tower hatches were open, contributing to the flooding. Canadian submarines are not normally permitted to travel on the surface with both hatches open. The inquiry said Chicoutimi's commander Luc Pelletier had allowed both hatches to be opened to allow repairs to be made to the conning tower. The former British submarine was travelling in rough seas off the coast of Ireland when it was hit by a large wave, the inquiry said. The board's final report said the resulting water flooding contributed to the fire. A memorial service was held in Scotland for Lt Saunders, a married father of two. "Nevertheless there is neither evidence nor inference that anyone could have or should have predicted that a water-ingress would result in a serious fire," it said... I am not a naval person. However, when I read the newspaper accounts of the purchase of this submarine and the utter arrogance of the Canadians in wanting to sail it with a green crew into deep water before critical repairs had been undertaken, let us say that my "spider sense was tingling." |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |