USS SAN FRANCISCO (SSN711) - UPDATE

High speed, uncharted underwater mountains, and submarines don’t mix…

The New York Times is reporting that the intensity of the underwater collision between the USS SAN FRANCISCO, and an uncharted undersea object, was more severe than originally reported, after obtaining emails sent by Rear Adm. Paul F. Sullivan, the commander of submarines in the Pacific. 

The number of injured crewmen was also underreported.  Almost half of the crew suffered some type of injury (60 of 137 crewmembers), and I would say that the entire crew is fortunate that they are not entombed in the boat on the bottom of the sea.

The NYT’s article also reports that the sub was traveling at a speed of approximately 30 knots, that’s “All Ahead Flank” in submarine parlance, which would not be unusual considering the sub was supposed to be in transit to Australia.

I’ve been in a couple, few, unusual underwater incidents during my time in the sub service, and I can appreciate the severity of just such a collision at “Flank” speed, and potential for total disaster, which this incident narrowly averted.

“E-Mail Shows Toll of Crash on Submarine and Sailors"

Posted by on 01/12 at 04:20 AM

  1. Was this after the huge earthquake? Could this uncharted object have been an artifact of that earthquake? If I were the attorney for the captain or navigator I’d certainly be researching this possibility. As for the sonarman on duty…

    Posted by triticale  on  01/15  at  01:53 PM

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