[BITList] Fwd: [IrishSeaShips] NEWS: American Submarine Almost Grounded in the River Tamar -USS MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL

[Michael Feltham]

Of Interest !

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Subject: [IrishSeaShips] NEWS: American Submarine Almost Grounded in the River Tamar -USS MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL
Reply-To: IrishSeaShips at yahoogroups.com

From the Western Morning News - June 21, 2011

An American nuclear-powered submarine came dangerously close to grounding in
the River Tamar during an incident in which two sailors were washed
overboard and killed, a Royal Navy investigation has revealed.

The USS Minneapolis-St Paul "came within less than her own length" of
hitting rocks as rescuers desperately tried to save five crew members who
had been swept overboard into the freezing water.

Three survived after being picked up by nearby boats but Senior Chief Petty
Officer Thomas Higgins and Petty Officer Michael Holtz, who were tethered to
the vessel, were killed after being pounded against the hull by 20ft waves.

While "tragic", Royal Navy investigators said, the consequences of the
accident could have been "catastrophic".

"This was a severe incident with multiple loss of life," the report said.
"There was a very real possibility of the boat grounding in very rough seas
and on an ebb tide some 500 yards south of Plymouth breakwater.

"In addition the crew's mess hatch remained open in these conditions
allowing a considerable volume of water into the submarine.

"Tragic as the loss of the lives of Holtz and Higgins was, the outcome could
have been so much more catastrophic and thus must be regarded as at the less
serious end of the potential spectrum of consequences."

The 24-page report blamed "human failure" for the accident in December 2006
but also criticised the safety regime at Devonport Naval base.

Ultimate responsibility for the "severe and wholly avoidable incident", it
said, had to rest with commanding officer, Commander Edwin Ruff, who was
later relieved of his post. The pilot was also sacked.

The 110 metre (362ft) Minneapolis-St Paul had been on a week-long visit to
Plymouth over Christmas. She sailed from the port with an Admiralty pilot on
board to guide her out of the river.

But the transfer of the pilot to a waiting boat was left too late, with the
submarine travelling at 8-9 knots, and the men on the casing were exposed to
the full force of heavy seas as the submarine left the protection of the
breakwater.

The forecast had been for 40-knot winds and a very rough sea state.

"This investigation determines that it was however safe for the
Minneapolis-St Paul to sail and that the exit could have been completed
safely," the report, penned by three senior Royal Navy officers, said.

"The incident occurred because of an error by the commanding officer of the
Minneapolis-St Paul.

"This investigation concludes that the commanding officer was unaware of the
rapid change in sea conditions from relatively benign inside to
life-threatening outside the breakwater." 

Finalised in January 2007 and updated in May the same year, the report made
several criticisms of the "safety culture" at the Naval base.

It said the Navy had failed to share the lessons learned from a similar
incident in February 2006 when three British submariners were trapped on the
casing of HMS Sovereign after being hit by a large wave while the boat left
Plymouth.

The inquiry said: "A number of common themes emerge from this and previous
investigations: a breakdown in the effective dissemination of lessons
identified; failure to adequately identify hazards and risks; and a marked
reluctance to raise concerns or intervene to mitigate developing problems
that are considered the province of another."

It added: "It is thus apparent that a more effective safety culture is
required across all authorities that operate in the DPoP (Dockyard Port of
Plymouth) if further such incidents, perhaps with even more severe outcomes,
are to be avoided."

The WMN requested a copy of the report in March 2008. It was only released
last week.

The Royal Navy confirmed that the pilot involved had been dismissed after
internal disciplinary action, a decision upheld by the Civil Service Appeals
Board.

"Naval Base Commander Devonport commissioned a review of the findings from
the reports into the investigation to identify lessons learned," it said in
a statement. "This was done in parallel with an ongoing safety culture
review across the naval base.

"As a result, there have been improvements in the dissemination of lessons
learned more widely, not only those resulting from the Minneapolis-St Paul
accident."

The Navy said the Base Commander and Babcock had carried out the safety
initiative 'Time out for Safety' designed to encourage openness and improved
safety culture across the base and dockyard.

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