Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 180: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the recent response to the Canadian submarine emergency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24534/04]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The incident to which the Deputy refers occurred on Tuesday, 5 October, approximately 100 miles north-northwest off Arranmore Island, County Donegal. A Canadian submarine, HMCS Chicoutimi, was en route from Faslane, Scotland, to Canada when fire broke out on board. Three crew members suffered smoke inhalation. The fire also caused loss of engine power. No other vessel was involved in the incident. Weather and sea conditions were very poor and hampered, but did not prevent, both search and rescue and salvage operations. The incident occurred in the UK search and rescue region, but in the Irish pollution responsibility zone. The limits of the Irish pollution responsibility zone off the County Donegal coast extend further out to sea than the limits of the Ireland search and rescue region.

Having lost engine power the submarine commenced to drift southwards towards the Ireland search and rescue region. The Irish Coastguard agreed with the UK Ministry of Defence, who were acting on behalf of the Canadian authorities, a joint process for managing the incident, whereby each authority would take responsibility for the incident when the vessel was in its respective zones of responsibility.

At 1800 hours on Wednesday, 6 October, a UK Navy helicopter airlifted three injured crewmen from the submarine and brought them to Sligo Hospital. One crewman was declared dead on arrival at the hospital. The other two were described as critical, but stable. At this time the vessel was still in the UK search and rescue region. As the incident occurred in the Irish pollution responsibility zone, the UK authorities were informed that all salvage proposals would require Irish Coastguard approval. Salvage operations proceeded successfully and the towed submarine left the Irish pollution responsibility zone at 2330 hours on Saturday, 9 October, on its way to Faslane, Scotland. The Irish Coastguard monitored the salvage operation throughout and no pollution occurred.

From 0345 hours on 7 October to 0637 hours on 8 October the vessel, having drifted southwards, was in the Ireland search and rescue region and during this time the Irish Coastguard assumed responsibility for search and rescue co-ordination. During this period, the Irish Coastguard did not have to initiate any search and rescue operations of its own accord in respect of this incident as there were already adequate resources on scene.

In the course of the incident, the Canadian authorities indicated to the Irish Coastguard that the submarine might wish to seek a place of refuge. They also certified that the submarine met all environmental requirements to enter a place of refuge. In the event, no formal request was received by Ireland to provide a place of refuge and the submarine left the Irish pollution responsibility zone at 2330 hours on Saturday, 9 October. Had such a request been received, the Irish Coastguard would have undertaken a formal risk assessment before any decision on the matter.

I wish to record my sadness at the loss of the life of one crewman and injury to two others due to this incident. I am satisfied, however, that the Irish Coastguard responded effectively in dealing with this incident and in the salvage operation that ensued. I wish to record also the excellent assistance of the Naval Service, which provided the LE Róisín, LE Niamh and LE Aoife as on-scene search and rescue, pollution and salvage co-ordinator for the Irish Coastguard, and the response of the Irish fishing vessel, FV Western Endeavour which, already in the vicinity of the incident, arrived at the scene quickly and provided able assistance to the emergency services.