By KUNA,
London : A British nuclear-powered submarine has been damaged after it hit rocks in the Red Sea, British defense officials said Wednesday.
HMS Superb hit an underwater rock on May 26th and damage to its sonar equipment forced it to surface.
No crew members were hurt and the submarine remains watertight, according to a British Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesman.
He said the submarine’s nuclear reactor was “completely unaffected,” but a full investigation was under way to determine the cause of the collision.
The submarine had passed through the Suez Canal and was in the northern Red Sea, 80 miles south of Suez itself, when she hit an underwater rock pinnacle.
There was a crew of 112 on board, but no other vessel was involved.
The MoD said in a statement “There were no casualties and the submarine remains watertight, is safe on the surface and able to operate under her own power.” There was also no environmental impact from the collision.
The British Royal Navy is now trying to work out how to return the vessel to port. It is currently in international waters, but is unable to dive because of the damage to its sonar equipment.
HMS Superb was first launched in 1976.