Tri-Service

MoD Admit Submarine Snagged Fishing Boat

Library image: HMS Vigilant returns to Faslane

The Ministry of Defence has admitted that a Royal Navy submarine did get entangled in a fishing boat's nets, almost pulling the vessel underwater.

The admission however comes 5 months after the incident.

There was widespread speculation at the time that a Russian submarine had been involved following comments from UK Government ministers expressing confidence that no British submarines were involved.

The Karen was trawling off the coast of Northern Ireland in April when it started to be violently towed backwards at 10 knots. The crew were able to quickly able to release the nets as cables snapped and save the boat, but not before a section of deck had been ripped off.

Fishing trawler 'Karen' - dragged by a Royal Navy submarine

Minister of State for the Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt said: "The Royal Navy has now confirmed that a UKsubmarine was, in fact, responsible for snagging the Karen's nets. The incident, the delay in identifying and addressing the events on that day, and their consequences are deeply regretted.

"It is standing Ministry of Defence policy not to comment in detail on submarine operations but, exceptionally, I can say that this incident occurred because the submarine did not correctly identify the Karen as a fishing vessel with nets in the water, and thus did not give her the berth she would otherwise have had.

"Moreover, had the submarine been aware of the incident at the time, which it was not, then the protocols in place under the code of practice for submarine operations in the vicinity of fishing vessels would have required the submarine to surface and remain on scene while the matter was investigated."

The Karen's crew confirmed that following the encounter 18 miles off the port of Ardglass there was no sign of the vessel that had nearly sank them.

It's understood the Karen's skipper Paul Murphy has been contacted by the Royal Navy and will be compensated for the damage to the wooden-hulled boat and the loss of its nets.

He's being backed by South Down MP Margaret Ritchie who said: "Fishermen must be confident that their vessels will not be damaged by submarine activity and where incidents do take place, the Government will own up to it immediately.

"It's important now that the owner and crew of the Karen are compensated for the damage done to their vessel and the time they have lost at sea as a result. I will continue to pursue this matter until we have reached a satisfactory resolution."

Meanwhile Sinn Fein Stormont Assembly member Chris Hazzard is demanding a fuller explanation of what happened and the delay in admitting liability: "The British Government and MoD must now explain their actions, if any disciplinary measures will be taken arising out of this incident and how it will avoid similar incidents in the future."