HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant submarine collision HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant submarine collision The submarines HMS "Vanguard" and "Triomphant" collided in the Atlantic Ocean in the night between 3–4 February 2009. Both are nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The Royal Navy's and the French Navy's both sustained damage, but no injuries or radioactivity releases were reported. At the time of the collision, both vessels were submerged and, according to the UK Ministry of Defence, moving "at very low speed"; both are equipped with active and passive sonar, although only the latter is used on an operational patrol. HMS "Vanguard" was on a routine patrol in the Eastern
French submarine Argonaute (S636) French submarine Argonaute (S636) "Argonaute" (S636) is an "Aréthuse"-class submarine, and the fourth ship of the French Navy to bear the name. Launched on 23 October 1958, she served as flagship within the Toulon submarine squadron, and spent over 2,000 days at sea and over 32,000 hours underwater. She was decommissioned on 31 July 1982. After extensive discussions beginning in 1982, in 1989 the "Argonaute" was transferred from Toulon via Gibraltar to Le Havre, then through the seven locks of the Saint-Denis Canal. Once at the quay on the Canal de l'Ourcq, she was lifted from the water by cranes