HC Deb 12 June 1989 vol 154 c336W
Mr. Foulkes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about a collision between a Norwegian fishing boat and a French Agousta class submarine off Shetland on Monday 22 May; what inquiries have been carried out into the collision; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Portillo

During the afternoon of 22 May Her Majesty's Coastguard rescue centre in Aberdeen received a report that the nets of the Norwegian trawler Strand Senior had been fouled by a French submarine. The Coastguard established that the trawler was in no danger.

The reported position of the incident was 40 miles north north west of Unst and thus well outside United Kingdom territorial waters. Any further investigation is therefore for the French and Norwegian authorities.