18 Taken To Hospital After Carbon Monoxide Leak Onboard Nuclear Sub

Eighteen people were taken to hospital after high levels of carbon monoxide levels were detected onboard the UK's newest nuclear submarine.

Royal Navy personnel and shipyard employees were working at BAE Systems in Barrow when they were evacuated. 

A spokesman for BAE Systems said they were taken to hospital as a precaution.

In a statement, the company said:

"At 7.15am, on Saturday, there was a controlled evacuation of Audacious after the submarine's monitoring systems detected higher-than-normal levels of carbon monoxide on-board."

"By early afternoon this was resolved and employees returned to work."

The new Royal Navy nuclear submarine is capable of firing Tomahawk missiles 1,000km and is 97 metres long.

The 7,400-tonne BAE Systems-built vessel is the fourth of seven Astute class submarines and is also armed with Spearfish torpedoes.