Monday, February 7, 2011

Jinxed nuclear submarine HMS Astute ordered to return to port after latest mishap.. the toilets won't work


JINXED submarine HMS Astute has suffered another mishap - after its toilets broke down.
The Royal Navy's most advanced sub had to return to port at Faslane naval base after the malfunction left her 90 crew members unable to spend a penny.
Astute, which made the headlines in October after running aground during trials near Skye, was also hit by a failure to her weapons support systems during her latest sea trials.
Naval sources said the nuclear-powered vessel will be confined to port for up to six weeks as engineers carry out repairs.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said yesterday: "Work is ongoing to fix the weapons support and sewage problems."
The submarine, which was completed four years late and massively over budget, has been hit by problems since it was commissioned into the Navy last August.

Astute ran aground near the Skye Bridge on October 22 and was stuck on a shingle bank for around 10 hours before being towed free.
The Record later revealed the sub was damaged when coastguard tug Anglian Prince - which had been sent to free it - collided with the sub and tore off one of its navigation fins.
Astute's captain, Commander Andy Coles - dubbed Captain Calamity - was relieved of command in November following a probe into the grounding.
He was replaced by Commander Iain Breckenridge but the new chief's maiden voyage was short lived.
Astute broke down in December on its first day back at sea and had to again limp back to Faslane after experts identified a fault in the sub's steam plant.
Astute, the first in a class of six new submarines, was launched in 2007 and commissioned into the Navy four years behind schedule. It can sail around the world without having to surface.

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