A Russian submarine that was being tracked by a British naval warship patrolling the North Atlantic more than a year ago struck a sonar that was towing the ship, according to the UK Defense Ministry.
“In late 2020, a Russian submarine that was being tracked by HMS Northumberland came into contact with its towed sonar,” a UK Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement Thursday.
HMS Northumberland of the Royal Navy, in a 2007 file photo.
“The Royal Navy regularly tracks foreign ships and submarines to ensure the UK’s defense,” the statement said.
A towed array sonar is a sensor that a ship queues up when deployed.
According to the British Royal Navy, HMS Northumberland carried out a “vital mission to protect UK waters and the nation’s nuclear deterrent” in 2020.