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 Ouessant (S623) French submarine Ouessant (S623) "Ouessant" (S623) is an built for the French Navy. She was completed at the Arsenal de Cherbourg in 1978 and served the French Navy until her 2001 decommissioning. From 2005 to 2009, "Ouessant" was employed as a training vessel to train Royal Malaysian Navy personnel who will operate the two French-built s planned for the Royal Malaysian Navy. Despite official statements in 2009 that "Ouessant" had been sold to Malaysia, the position remained unclear. Because of "Ouessant"s role in the establishment of the Malaysian submarine forces, plans to return the vessel to Malaysia to serve as