VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, I beg to ask a Question of which I have given Private Notice: Whether the Government will make a statement on the accident which occurred in H.M.S. "Centaur". I hope that I may at this stage express my sympathy with the families of those who have been lost.
§ LORD CARRINGTONMy Lords, as you will be aware, at 5.30 yesterday morning there was an accident in one of the boiler rooms of the aircraft carrier H.M.S. "Centaur" when a serious high-pressure steam leak occurred. Rescue operations by the ship's company were begun immediately, but I am sorry to say that the officer and four ratings who were on watch in the boiler room at the time received fatal injuries. I should like to express my deep sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives. A Board of Inquiry is being set up.
VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLS-BOROUGHMy Lords, I take it that the report of the Board of Inquiry will not be very long delayed. I am anxious to know what the cause of the explosive escape of steam was, if it can be discovered. I am always afraid of the kind of thing that may happen from actual sabotage.
§ LORD CARRINGTONYes, my Lords. We will press on with the Board of Inquiry as quickly as possible. This was a very unusual accident. There is no engineer-officer in the Royal Navy who can remember anything of the kind having happened before.