A ROYAL Navy sailor has been arrested over a bomb hoax on a nuclear-armed submarine.
His alleged threat, thought to have been a prank, sparked fears of a doomsday meltdown, sources said.
The suspect, a Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard, was said to have called in the bomb warning to the submarine’s main control room.
It triggered lockdown at HMNB Clyde where Britain’s nuclear deterrent vessels are based, with a bomb squad racing to the scene in Faslane.
A source said: “The suspect was working in the rear of the boat, in the engineering control room, and allegedly called up front to the main control room and claimed there was a bomb on board.
“It’s not clear if he lost the plot or if it was a stupid prank that went horribly wrong.
“The person who took the call believed it was credible and triggered a full emergency response.
“They did a quick draw and the base piped orders to the Royal Marines to guard the jetty and the submarine hatches to make sure no one could come on or off.”
The suspect was subsequently held.
The Royal Navy said: “We can confirm that a member of the Royal Navy is under investigation by the Defence Serious Crime Command for a bomb hoax.”
AlamyA Petty Officer on HMS Vanguard has been arrested over a bomb hoax[/caption]
Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme – Sun Club.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
