Canadian Navy Submarine to Return to Service after Decade

The Canadian Navy submarine HMCS Chicoutimi will return to the fleet almost a decade after a major fire onboard the ship, as reported by CBC news.

The HMCS Chicoutimi was initially a Royal Navy submarine, known as HMS Upholder, which Canada bought in 1998 with three more submarines as part of a USD 247 million deal.

Shortly after taking over the submarine from the UK, the boat suffered a fire accident at sea, when about 2,000 liters of seawater entered the submarine.

The costs of repair were USD 15 million in 2005, but they increased in 2006 to USD 20 million, and finally they mounted up to more than USD 125 million, including costs for removal of components which were damaged by fire.

Vice Admiral Mark Norman said that HMCS Chicoutimi will conduct sea trials in waters off Esquimalt, B.C in the next few weeks and that she will be returned to the military soon.

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Naval Today Staff, January 08, 2014; Image: Flickr