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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/feb/15/nuclear-submarine-commander-admits-hazarding-ship-after-collision
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Nuclear submarine commander 'took eye off ball' before collision | Nuclear submarine commander 'took eye off ball' before collision |
| (5 days later) | |
| A senior naval officer in charge of teaching future submarine captains “took his eye off the ball”, leading his nuclear submarine to collide with a tanker, a court martial has heard. | A senior naval officer in charge of teaching future submarine captains “took his eye off the ball”, leading his nuclear submarine to collide with a tanker, a court martial has heard. |
| Cdr Justin Codd, 45, was sentenced to forfeiting a year of seniority after pleading guilty at Portsmouth naval base to negligently hazarding the £1.1bn submarine HMS Ambush. | Cdr Justin Codd, 45, was sentenced to forfeiting a year of seniority after pleading guilty at Portsmouth naval base to negligently hazarding the £1.1bn submarine HMS Ambush. |
| The Astute-class submarine was taken out of service for three months to undergo repairs costing £2.1m. | The Astute-class submarine was taken out of service for three months to undergo repairs costing £2.1m. |
| Sentencing Codd, Judge Advocate Robert Hill said: “You have, save for this incident, an exemplary record. It was more in the nature of a momentary aberration than a careless attitude.” | Sentencing Codd, Judge Advocate Robert Hill said: “You have, save for this incident, an exemplary record. It was more in the nature of a momentary aberration than a careless attitude.” |
| Capt John Atwill, prosecuting, said Codd was leading a group of students on the final day of the Perisher training course when the accident happened off Gibraltar on 20 July 2016. | Capt John Atwill, prosecuting, said Codd was leading a group of students on the final day of the Perisher training course when the accident happened off Gibraltar on 20 July 2016. |
| He explained that the students were practising controlling the submarine at periscope depth and observing shipping movements. | He explained that the students were practising controlling the submarine at periscope depth and observing shipping movements. |
| Atwill said the failure happened because, despite the submarine having two periscopes, Codd failed to carry out his own observations and relied on the images provided by his students. | Atwill said the failure happened because, despite the submarine having two periscopes, Codd failed to carry out his own observations and relied on the images provided by his students. |
| He said the students had focused on a yacht called Katharsis and had not identified the risk posed by the tanker MV Andreas, which was “loitering” in the nearby area. | He said the students had focused on a yacht called Katharsis and had not identified the risk posed by the tanker MV Andreas, which was “loitering” in the nearby area. |
| Atwill said: “Cdr Codd’s decision to focus on teaching, not safety, compounded the error carried out by the students.” | Atwill said: “Cdr Codd’s decision to focus on teaching, not safety, compounded the error carried out by the students.” |
| Capt Sean Moore, defending, said the incident was the worst day in the defendant’s 22 years of “exemplary service”. | Capt Sean Moore, defending, said the incident was the worst day in the defendant’s 22 years of “exemplary service”. |
| He said: “This is a failure that will live with him for the rest of his life. | He said: “This is a failure that will live with him for the rest of his life. |
| “No officer becomes teacher of the submarine command course because they are good enough; they must be the best the submarine service has to offer. | “No officer becomes teacher of the submarine command course because they are good enough; they must be the best the submarine service has to offer. |
| “Perisher is widely acknowledged as the toughest command course in the world.” | “Perisher is widely acknowledged as the toughest command course in the world.” |
| He added: “This was a case where at the end of a long and demanding period of training with the finish line in sight, Cdr Codd took his eye off the ball.” | He added: “This was a case where at the end of a long and demanding period of training with the finish line in sight, Cdr Codd took his eye off the ball.” |
| He continued: “This is not a case of a teacher deliberately ignoring an obvious threat or taking a calculated risk.” | He continued: “This is not a case of a teacher deliberately ignoring an obvious threat or taking a calculated risk.” |
| Moore said Codd was highly respected by senior commanders and had been involved in learning lessons from the accident. | Moore said Codd was highly respected by senior commanders and had been involved in learning lessons from the accident. |
| He added that the senior students involved in the training had gone on to pass the Perisher course. | He added that the senior students involved in the training had gone on to pass the Perisher course. |
| Moore said: “Not only did he remain as teacher, but he revised the training procedures. | Moore said: “Not only did he remain as teacher, but he revised the training procedures. |
| “Having written the book on optronic periscopes, having learned from this incident, he’s taken the lead in rewriting the book.” | “Having written the book on optronic periscopes, having learned from this incident, he’s taken the lead in rewriting the book.” |
| The court heard that the punishment would impact on Codd’s career progression and his salary of £78,000 a year. | The court heard that the punishment would impact on Codd’s career progression and his salary of £78,000 a year. |
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