Wha-wha-WHAAAAAA? We LOST a freakin' SUBMARINE?

[Atman]

I'm just hearing about this, being reported on CNN. The USS San Juan has been missing off the coast of Florida all night. The Navy was even declaring the sub SUNK, and began notifying family members. But *poof* this just in -- it reappeared today! Everybody is fine..they didn't even know they were missing!

WTF! Thank goodness all the crew is safe, but my god...it must be Clinton's fault.

.

[azurnoir]

1. Bermuda triangle ???? n/t

[w8liftinglady]

2. how exactly does that happen?

[Submariner]

6. Probably missed one or more communications

they were scheduled to make with COMSUBLANT. We had a radio failure once and were supposedly missing for about 10 hours once. I'm still here, so I guess we survived.

[Ezlivin]

25. Maybe their trailing antenna severed?

We didn't have one so we got to come to (at least) PD to hook up with COMSUBPAC. My wife worked at CINCPACFLT and she kept track of where I was at all times. Not that it was her job, but she did care. :)

Maybe this boat is jinxed? According to the Wiki: "On 13 March 2007, the boat was the subject of a search & rescue mission by elements of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group when a red flare was spotted in her projected vicinity, suggesting an emergency. Communications were established by the early hours of the next day (the San Juan had been submerged) and no problems were indicated."

[Parche]

31. SUB

Maybe it was the ghost of the USS Dorado that stopped them from communicating

[Ian David]

3. They went back in time to December 6, 1941

[no_hypocrisy]

5. LOL! I liked that movie. n/t

[hogwyld]

14. Or maybe the Philadelphia Experiment at sea? n/t

[Giant Robot]

16. No

That was supposed to be the USS Eldritch (sp?)

Not that I believe those kind of things.....
:tinfoilhat:

[ck4829]

4. The San Juan is used to test experimental systems

Think it could be connected to that?

:tinfoilhat:

[Ian David]

7. Maybe they forgot to pay their phonebill? n/t

[CrazyOrangeCat]

9. !

:spray:

[underpants]

8. Cloaking device I KNEW IT

[mnhtnbb]

10. Nah, party all night in CUBA

[KansDem]

20. I thought the same thing.

A little shake-your-fanny in Havan-nee...

edited to add:

[IChing]

23. There is speculation/rumor on the web that the F-16 that crashed

over the Florida keys was shot down over Cuba.

Cuba and Venezuela were having air war games in Cuba this week,


http://english.people.com.cn/200703/13/eng20070313_357015.html

http://www.nbc6.net/news/11232007/detail.html


It is just a rumor on the internets so please leave it at that.

[Double T]

11. Maybe there is still hope for the palletized $12 Billion in cash that vanished........

in Iraq, to suddenly reappear.

[xultar]

12. Check it for Cheney residue...He probably took it to do some of his dirty

work.

[Ilsa]

13. They're at Daytona Beach -- Spring break. The dude

manning communications is passed out.

[Giant Robot]

15. Never was in the Navy

So take this with a grain of salt but...subs are supposed to be invisible for all intents and purposes. If they miss scheduled communications for whatever reason, the Navy probably won't be able to find the sub quickly, if it all. This is the first I have heard of this, so i don't know if something happened that made them think the sub was sunk so take that into consideration as well.

[MyNameGoesHere]

26. well not exactly.

Communications underwater are possible. It is done by using ELF radio. Only problem is that it is very slow and is limited by the amount of data that can be sent. Also the sub has to be receiving for it to work. Mainly this method of comm is limited to launch commands and emergencies.

[nitpicker]

17. Probably some idiot thought no radio=distress so shot flare.

SUBLANT Statement Regarding USS San Juan and Missing Submarine Procedures
Story Number: NNS070314-01
Release Date: 3/14/2007 10:22:00 AM

From Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs
NORFOLK (NNS) -- During the early evening of March 13, units of the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) received a series of indications that USS San Juan (SSN 751), a Los Angeles class submarine conducting pre-deployment training with the Enterprise CSG, was in distress.

Fortunately, the submarine established communications in the early morning hours of March 14, and indicated that there were no problems; hence, units were able to stand down from the search and rescue that was already well underway.

Losses of communications, followed by the reported sighting of a red flare, are distress indicators. These indicators, combined with establishing communications with only two of the three submarines operating with the Enterprise CSG, was sufficient information to activate missing submarine procedures.

Ships and aircraft from the Enterprise Strike group immediately commenced a search of the area where San Juan had been operating.

The International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO) in Norfolk, Va., was alerted to assist with the search and rescue effort. ISMERLO, an international organization, serves to facilitate the rapid call out of international rescue systems in the event of a submarine accident. The immediate response from various international entities was superb. In addition, San Juan family members were notified of the situation at hand.

Although this was a false alarm, the primary concern was the safety of our submariners and the support of family members. Procedures demonstrated that the submarine escape and rescue program is able to quickly respond to an event such as this – when every second counts.

The Submarine Force is concerned about how this event initiated from what would appear to be false indicators. The Commander, Submarine Force Atlantic will conduct a thorough review of the matter to determine any lessons learned.

For related news, visit Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet's Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/surflant/.

[Tesha]

18. "Andrei, you've lost *ANOTHER* submarine?" (NT)

[Atman]

19. Kickin

This is still a story that's worth watching. Pretty bizarre...the Navy was actually calling families to give them the bad news.

.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

21. Special "Guest" Helmsmen/Friends of Cheney sunk another fishing boat. Had to >

lay low for a bit til heat died down.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. i could write a script on this, oh wait...

[DerBeppo]

24. McHale!!!! -nt-

[lumberjack_jeff]

27. LOL! I guess that's what happens when you let Ginger take the helm. n/t

[daleo]

28. I caught them discussing this on CNN, for a second

I wondered "if true, why is this on CNN? If false, why is this on CNN?"

It doesn't seem like the kind of story that would get out to the media very quickly.

[DemKR]

29. CLINTON DID IT!!!! nt

[liberalEd]

30. Isn't "hard to find"

one of the main goals of submarines? Otherwise they'd just float on the water like all the other ships.

[demobabe]

32. Hunt for Red October

Maybe the captain was looking to defect from the US and escape the evil Bush Empire.

What's that...? They found them?

Oh never mind.

[Patsy Stone]

33. Nothing to see here...

Move along now. All is well. Remain calm.

Someone cue Thomas Dolby!