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 destroyer Le Triomphant French destroyer Le Triomphant Le Triomphant ("The triumphant one") was a "Le Fantasque" class destroyer of the French Navy Built in Dunkerque from 1931, "Le Triomphant" was launched in 1934. At the outbreak of World War II, in September 1939, "Le Triomphant" under "capitaine de frégate" Pothuau was part of the 2nd Light Squadron in the 8th Large Destroyer Division, which also included her sister-ships "Le Malin" and "L'Indomptable". The Squadron was headed by "contre-amiral" Lacroix. On 2 September, at 20:00 h, she sailed with the "Force de Raid" to Casablanca, along with "Dunkerque" and "Strasbourg", "Georges Leygues", "Gloire" and