UK submarine hits Red Sea rocks

A British nuclear-powered submarine was damaged when it collided with rocks in the Red Sea, the Ministry of Defence said.

HMS Superb hit an underwater rock yesterday and damaged its sonar equipment, forcing it to surface.

None of the crew was hurt and the submarine was not taking on water, an MoD spokesman said.

Superb, a Swiftsure-class attack submarine with a crew of 112, hit an underwater pinnacle 80 miles south of Suez.

The 272-foot vessel had passed through the canal and was in the northern Red Sea when she grounded. No other vessel was involved.

An MoD spokesman said the submarine's nuclear reactor was "completely unaffected" and there was "no environmental impact" from the collision.

"There were no casualties and the submarine remains watertight, is safe on the surface and able to operate under her own power," he said.

The vessel is in international waters but unable to dive because of the damage to its sonar.

The Royal Navy is examining how to return the vessel to port.

A full investigation is under way and a Board of Inquiry will follow.

The crew's next of kin are being informed, the MoD said.

According to the Royal Navy website, Superb's commanding officer is Commander Steve Drysdale from Miskin, near Cardiff.

The father of one joined the Royal Navy from school in 1984 and became navigating officer and then watch leader, working on Swiftsure-class submarines HMS Sovereign and HMS Spartan.

He was selected for promotion to commander in 2005 and took control of HMS Spartan and HMS Sovereign for short periods before his appointment as commanding officer of HMS Superb in December 2006.

The MoD would not confirm if he was in charge on Superb when the submarine crashed.

HMS Superb was built by Vickers Shipbuilding at Barrow, Cumbria, and commissioned in 1976.

In 2001 she was deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan.