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 Améthyste (S605) submarine . Varuna 10 was a two-phase naval exercise, with the harbor phase taking place between 7–11 January and the sea phase between 11–14 January in the Arabian Sea. The fanion of "Améthyste" is decorated: French submarine Améthyste (S605) L'Améthyste is a nuclear-powered attack submarine of the French Navy, the fifth of the "Rubis" type. The boat's name is a pun on a precious stone (Amethyst) and the acronym "AMElioration Tactique, HydrodYnamique, Silence, Transmission, Ecoute" ("Tactical, hydrodynamics, silence and transmission improvements"). The "boat" is most likely the first vessel to serve in the French submarine fleet under that namesake. The