一艘载有大约140名官兵的美军潜艇,在佛罗里达州对开海域游弋时,一度与美军控制中心失去联络。海军担心潜艇沉没,于周二晚启动应变机制,派出战机和船只进行大规模的搜索行动,到14日清晨终于发现它的踪影,证实只是虚惊一场。当局现正调查潜艇一度失去联络10个小时的原因。 3 h, N+ I, Z; X6 v" k: s+ b+ M9 f 9 F i: _$ w. J5 I. Y 海军证实,已于14日早上重新与一度失踪的洛杉矶级潜艇圣胡安号取得联络,并确定潜艇并无出现重大问题。潜艇上的无线电通讯系统可能出现故障,才引发这宗事故。据美国哥伦比亚广播公司(CBS)报道,事发时,一支航空母舰战斗群和三艘潜艇正在佛州对面100哩的海域,进行演习,圣胡安号扮演敌军潜艇的角色。突然,有人见在海上闪出红光。传统上,这是潜艇发出求救讯号的方式。 7 `3 |8 J! k2 n5 M8 V# f 1 R5 U2 U6 ?2 y, Q' ] 航空母舰战斗群上的指挥官马上尝试与三艘潜艇联络,两艘作出响应,但圣胡安号却失去踪影。在美国东岸时间14日凌晨3时半,位于维珍尼亚州的诺福克潜艇中心发出一段罕有的重要讯息:潜艇沉没!由于事态严重,国防部长罗伯特.盖茨也接获通知,军方高层整晚留意事态发展。海军也开始派人通知圣胡安号上140名官兵的家人。" v7 X0 Z0 N7 E6 {
到清晨5时许,控制中心才与圣胡安号再次取得联络,各方都松一口气。由13日晚7时至翌晨5时,圣胡安号与外界失去联络十小时。派驻艇上的军官表示,所有人都安然无恙,根本不知道发生了这件事。当局正调查引致这宗事故的原因,并安排于15日与其中三十名军人家眷见面,向他们作出解释,保证圣胡安号运作正常和安全。美国对上一次发生严重的潜艇事故是39年前,即1968年,潜艇蝎子号在美国东北部对开海域沉没。 a( a7 B/ ^8 ~2 ~! L; |, M
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Navy Briefly Loses Contact With Sub Off Florida Coast 4 Y: I3 o, c; K$ C; x0 b' ` 6 {5 A s4 \6 S; n! i2 u7 z. _Rescue Effort Under Way When Communications Regained+ G& r. ]# u2 f( f. S
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NORFOLK, Va. -- The Navy said it lost communication with a submarine off the Florida coast for several hours Tuesday night and began rescue efforts before communications were re-established early Wednesday.8 i$ g/ q4 u4 M9 v G% v* b
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The Naval Submarine Force said in a statement that there were no problems with the USS San Juan, a Los Angeles class submarine is based in Groton, Conn. / D* z% V, X$ p( s! g0 F+ E$ ?. @& ~4 d$ r
The communication lag on Tuesday evening was not explained, and Navy spokesman Phil McGuinn said the incident remains under investigation. / M& z! M' F* K9 K1 R( @ j 2 g% f+ B2 U, }; S8 u$ E* UMcGuinn said units of the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group saw a red flare in the vicinity of the missing submarine Tuesday night and activated missing submarine procedures. ' B- _7 B$ ~% ~" d G. y( Q: D3 | d5 T2 y, P& J$ M, v3 |
Because the Navy maintained communications with two other subs in the area and observers spotted the signal flare, commanders believed the San Juan had gone down. % f3 O; b7 b( @1 @2 Z# {6 Z " d d* _- l1 u8 wThey began search-and-rescue missions, alerted the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office and notified crew members’ families about the possibility of a lost submarine, officials said.. i' v3 A. `' i, o4 K
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"We had a false alarm," Lt. Cmdr. Chris Loundermon, public affairs officer at submarine force headquarters in Norfolk, told Navy Times. "We're investigating the details of what happened." / V4 ~2 {% @4 a0 o5 x8 i% @3 s0 A" E& \
The initial reports went to the top of the chain of command: Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Mullen and Defense Secretary Robert Gates were notified.( W) w1 y, \4 y: h8 f5 |0 i
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[ 本帖最后由 日月光 于 2007-3-15 09:22 编辑 ]