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 Orion diesel motors and two electric motors. The submarines' electrical propulsion allowed it to attain speeds of while submerged and on the surface. Their surfaced range was at with a submerged range of at . French submarine Orion The French submarine "Orion" was a submarine built for the French Navy between 1928 and 1931. Ordered in December 1927, it was laid down in July 1929, launched in April 1931 and commissioned in July 1932. On 3 July 1940, it was seized by the British while in Portsmouth. "Orion" was stricken in April 1943 and dismantled for spare parts. long, with a