Scene on the Sound: The Mystery Sub ran into a mountain

Photo by Jan Hansen

Jan Hansen did some digging and found the story of the unidentified submarine which was making its way under escort through Puget Sound on Tuesday.

As Jan had surmised, this was the USS Connecticut, heading for its homeport at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton.

According to reporting by Josh Farley in the Kitsap Sun, the sub ran into an uncharted seamount in the South China Sea on October 2, 2021.

A dome-less USS Connecticut sailed into its homeport of Bremerton on Tuesday, the end of a 7,000-mile mission to bring the submarine home following a harrowing collision with an underwater mountain. 

The Connecticut struck an uncharted seamount in the disputed waters of the South China Sea on Oct. 2. Eleven sailors suffered injuries in the crash, and two sustained what the Navy described as "moderate" injuries beyond cuts and scrapes. Both crew members were treated and didn't require hospitalization.

The $3 billion sub, one of three advanced nuclear subs in the Seawolf class, will require extensive repairs. The nuclear propulsion plant was not damaged and the Connecticut was able to sail under its own steam to Guam for emergency repairs, then to San Diego and finally limped home to Kitsap county.

It was unable to submerge and sailed across the Pacific on the surface. 

After investigation, the Admiral in command of the U.S.7th fleet relieved the sub's commanding officer, executive officer, and chief of the boat of their positions.