In the last three years, there have been two nuclear submarine incidents in the U.S. Navy. One of these accidents resulted in the deaths of fourteen sailors. Many were also hurt. This latest incident occurred in the South China Sea in October. The incident occurred amid rising tensions in the region.
The USS Connecticut was carrying out a mission to the South China Sea on October 2, 2020. It struck an unidentified object at depth and speed, causing several injuries and the destruction or a section of its boat. The submarine was immediately sent to Guam for evaluation. A few days later, the U.S. Pacific Fleet released a statement on the incident.
A thorough investigation was carried out to determine the reason for the crash. According to the report, there were many mistakes made including in navigation planning and risk management. The vessel's leadership team failed in their responsibility to properly implement a watch group, which is responsible of maintaining safe navigation.
Although the report lays blame on the leadership of the submarine, there are many other areas of blame. The crew had problems with the sonar array which aids them in navigation. Numerous sailors claimed that it had significantly degraded.
Additionally, the investigation revealed that the Navy’s safety stand-down after the April 2021 crash was not intended to address the underlying causes. The Navy instead focused on the repair of the damage.
The US Navy is currently working on a series undersea collision reforms to help prevent future accidents. Some of the reforms include new technology to enable submarines to navigate through the ocean. Further training is being provided.
The United States Navy found out that the ship's commander failed to successfully lead a watch crew. Quartermasters on the watch failed to perform their duties as well.
The Navy states that it is unaware of any life-threatening injuries, despite the severity of this accident. A report has not yet been made about damage to the submarine's nuclear plant. However, it has been discovered that the forward ballast tanks on the submarine were damaged.
The command investigation reports does not give any information about the extent or cost of the damage. It does however note that the submarine will be returning to Washington for repairs.
Following the incident the US Navy fired Lieutenant Commander Paul Sutherland, the captain of submarine, as well as two other senior US Navy officers. Currently, 13 corrective measures are in progress. They include further training and improvements to certification.
Despite the above issues, the Connecticut sub will soon return home to Bremerton (Washington) for repairs. The submarine was stranded in international waters October 2, and the leadership of the vessel is working to improve its operation.
The US Navy has launched a comprehensive investigation into this accident. A number of mistakes were found in the operation of the submarine, including poor navigation planning and errors at the unit level in grounding. These issues were found to be unacceptable.