It is considered as one of the major blunders of the Norwegian defence in recent times and investigations and the clean-up operation is not yet completed.
The Norwegian frigate KNM Helge Ingstads encountered 8. november last year, together with the tanker Sola TS in the sea out of Bergen. The collision meant major damage to the frigate, which subsequently sank to the bottom.
The Norwegian defence has worked to save what can still be rescued from the frigate, but the on-board torpedoes have been discarded to repair.
– The havvandsaktiverede batteries in the torpedoes may react in contact with the air and cause a fire and harmful smoke. Therefore, we want to be on the safe side. The explosives we consider to be stable, says Bengt Berdal, who is a lieutenant commander in the Minedykkerkommandoen under the Norwegian defence, in a press release.
The Norwegian navy assessed that the risk would be too big by bringing the torpedoes ashore.
– Which is linked to uncertainty and risk for the handling of damaged ammunition. In this case, consideration for the safety of personnel weighted higher than gains by a handling of the torpedoes. From thorough professional assessments of the condition and the alternatives, it was decided to detonate the torpedos, says Bengt Berdal.
Half of the torpedoes has therefore been blasted in the Hjeltefjorden out of Bergen. The rest must be detonated at a later time. All the torpedoes have been previously downloaded off of the frigate.
below you can see the tv images of divers from the Minedykkerkommandoen that carries torpedoes away from the frigate. Video: The Norwegian defense
The Norwegian defense does not want to disclose exactly how many torpedoes are talking about. This is because you estimate that it will reveal an important military capability for the Norwegian frigates.
the Defense has gotten reviews from several different authorities, and Miljødirektoratet has given the green light to sprængningerne.
According to the Norwegian defense, there is still more ammunition on board the ship, and that gets constantly made assessments of what needs to be taken out of the frigate before it is raised and transported to the naval base Haakonsvern.
the Reason for the two big ships came together is yet to be determined. The Norwegian accident investigation board has, however, indicated that the crew on board the frigate thought, that the tanker was a terminal on land, and they thought they interacted with another ship, when they announced that they were on the kommunikationskurs.
First, when it was too late, they discovered that they had headed towards another ship, and they could therefore not reach to depart the collision, which resulted in a 45-meter-long crack in the side of the ship.
It quickly became clear that the frigate would sink. Photo: Marit Hommedal/Ritzau Scanpix
the Aib has also said that a reason as to why the ship ended up sinking, was that the watertight bulkheads in the ship still was not completely watertight, and therefore took the ship far more water than it should.
Skibschefen Preben Ottesen was even asleep, he was awakened by the collision, so he was thrown out of bed.
– When you stand on the shore and sees his own vessel sink, there are many thoughts through his head. It is quite surreal. It is difficult to understand. To see the ship you love, lying there in the rocks is the world’s most sad sight. It is just sad, he has previously told VG.