US Navy to probe sub crew deaths

12 April 2012

The US Navy will continue to investigate how two crew members from the submarine USS Minneapolis-St Paul died after falling overboard as the vessel left England.

The submarine left Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth, Devon, on Friday in ferocious storms and four sailors fell overboard.

The coastguard was called and the Plymouth lifeboat was launched, with a tug boat and rescue helicopter from RNAS Culdrose.

In appalling weather the rescue services pulled all of the four crew from the sea and they were taken to Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, where two were pronounced dead. The other two were released from hospital and taken to the sick bay at HMS Drake in Devonport.

The identities of the dead crew are not being released until their next of kin have been informed. After the rescue, the submarine continued on its journey.

A Royal Navy spokesman said it had stopped in Plymouth for a week for rest and recuperation for the crew.

A United States military spokesman confirmed they would be investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

"We don't know the details of what they were doing," he said. "The submarine was in the process of leaving port. What happened will be clear after the investigation."

The 362ft nuclear-powered submarine, which is based in Norfolk, Virginia, has a complement of 137 enlisted officers and crew and can reach speeds exceeding 25 knots.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said they had also launched an investigation.

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