[MilCom] Lost sub found

[Amtrak35 at aol.com]

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- The Navy temporarily lost communication with a submarine 
off Florida's coast and sent ships and aircraft to search for the USS San 
Juan before the vessel was contacted early Wednesday, military officials said.

There were no problems with the nuclear-powered Los Angeles class sub, based 
in Groton, Conn., and the Navy was investigating the incident, the Naval 
Submarine Force said in a statement.

Units of the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group saw a red flare in the area 
where the sub was operating off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday 
night, said spokesman Phil McGuinn.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates was awakened in the early morning hours and 
told of the events, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman.

"The secretary of defense was notified at the time when the Navy felt that 
they had a sub in distress," he said.

The Navy immediately started searching and also contacted the International 
Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office in Norfolk to assist with the 
efforts. Family members of those on board also were notified.

"Fortunately, the submarine established communications in the early morning 
hours ... and indicated that there were no problems; hence, units were able to 
stand down from the search and rescue that was already well under way," the 
Navy said in a release.

There were about 140 sailors on board, said Lt. Mark Jones, a Navy spokesman 
in Groton


    








**************************************
 AOL now offers free email to everyone. 
 Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.