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Bad security led to death of submariners

Photo: Royal-navy.mod.uk

“Unacceptable” errors are to blame for last year’s death of two British submariners on board the HMS Tireless when patrolling in the Arctic.

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A fire that killed two sailors aboard a nuclear-powered submarine as it patrolled beneath the Arctic ice was caused by a catalogue of errors that could have been avoided, the Ministry of Defence admitted yesterday.

“It is right for me to apologise unreservedly on behalf of the department for the actions or omissions which contributed to this tragic incident. I am extremely sorry, particularly to the families of those who lost their lives or were injured,” the armed forces minister, Bob Ainsworth, says.

The report lists “systematic failings” that it said could have contributed to the accident, newspaper The Guardian reports.

HMS Tireless is the 3rd of 7 “Trafalgar” Class SSN submarines, based in Devonport, Plymouth.

Read more about the “HMS Tireless” and the “Trafalgar Class” subs at the British Royal Navy website.

You can also see a demonstration film about the sub.