HC Deb 17 November 1986 vol 105 cc60-1W
Mr. Dalyell

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the nuclear-powered submarines known to have sunk in international waters since 1960.

Mr. Stanley

The United States attack submarine, the USS Thresher, was lost in April 1963 and the USS Scorpion in May 1968. The Soviet authorities announced the loss of a Yankee class ballistic missile submarine in October this year. My Department believes that a Soviet November class attack submarine was lost in April 1970 though this has not been announced, so far as we are aware, by the Soviet authorities. My Department is not aware of any other losses of nuclear-powered submarines in international waters in this period.