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From: shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: SUBS SINK TRAWLERS
Message-ID: <1990Dec14.003257.28446@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 14 Dec 90 00:32:57 GMT
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From: shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer)

Someone mentioned a sub snagging a boat here in Southern California
and pulling it under, killing some of the crew, but the account was a
little confused.

There were two incidents (same sub, I think--one involved in the
filming of "The Hunt for Red October").  In the first of these, the
sub snagged the tow line between the boat and a barge.  The boat was
pulled down, stern first, and one crewmember, sleeping belowdecks, was
lost.  The other two escaped.  This happened at night and it was quite
a long tow line.  As I recall, the sub had sighted either the boat or
the barge or both, but didn't realize that there was a line between them.

Shortly thereafter the sub snagged the net of a fishing boat and the
fishermen cut the net loose at the winch with an ax, which is standard
equipment just for such incidents.

At the time the LA Times mentioned that these were fairly common
incidents, happening a few times a year.  Most aren't fatal,
fortunately.  

--
Mary Shafer  shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov  ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
           NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                     Of course I don't speak for NASA
 "A MiG at your six is better than no MiG at all"--Unknown US fighter pilot