Eleven sailors were injured Oct. 2 when the deployed fast-attack submarine Connecticut “struck an object” while submerged in the Indo-Pacific region, a Navy official confirmed to Navy Times Thursday.
None of the injuries were life-threatening and the vessel is arriving in Guam today, according to the sea service.
A Navy statement did not confirm what kind of object the submarine struck, but an official who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak on the record said that the area’s topography at the time did not indicate there was a land mass in front of the boat.
There are also no indications that the mishap was hostile or that the sub collided with another vessel, according to the official, who cautioned that information on the incident is preliminary at this point.
While two crew members suffered moderate injuries, no one required evacuation from the boat, according to the official, who declined to provide a total number of sailors injured but described those injuries as “bumps, bruises and lacerations.”
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The ship has had to transit at the surface and is slated to arrive in Guam today, said the official, who added that it’s unclear whether the Connecticut’s damage will affect its mission readiness.
“The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition,” the Navy said in a statement. “USS Connecticut’s nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain fully operational.”
Readers informed Navy Times of the mishap earlier this week. Navy Times agreed to hold off on publication of this mishap until the sub and its sailors were safely in port.
The sub left Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Washington, for deployment in May.
U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Naval Safety Center are investigating.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
