nuclear-news

One officer killed on nuclear submarine – it could have been much worse

Officer killed in shooting on British nuclear submarine, Asia ONe News, 9 April 11, LONDON, ENGLAND – A Royal Navy officer was killed and another seriously injured in a shooting on a British nuclear-powered submarine, police said, which was only halted when a visiting politician tackled the gunman.
Another member of the navy was arrested on suspicion of murder following the incident on Friday in the southern English port of Southampton, officials said, stressing that the shooting was not “terrorist-related”.

The attack, aboard the British navy’s most advanced and newest submarine HMS Astute, came to an end when the leader of the local council disarmed the gunman and wrestled him to the ground.

The politician, Royston Smith, happened to be on a guided tour of the submarine at the time, which was in Southampton on a five-day visit after reportedly spending seven weeks at sea.

Describing his decision to tackle the gunman, Smith told the BBC: “He had a magazine with 30 rounds in it so I took the view that someone had to stop him……

Smith, a former member of the Royal Air Force (RAF), pushed the gunman to the ground and prised the weapon from his grasp.

He then restrained the attacker with the help of the council chief executive who was also on a tour of the submarine when the incident happened around noon (1100 GMT)…..

HMS Astute, which is almost 328 feet (100 metres) long, … was only deployed in August last year.

It made headlines two months later in October when it ran aground off the coast of Scotland and had to be towed home. The submarine was then damaged in a collision with the tug and had to be repaired…

Officer killed in shooting on British nuclear submarine

April 9, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK