A group of Norwegian fishermen found themselves in the headlines after failing to catch some delicious halibut, but instead hauling in an unexpected catch: a slightly less delicious US nuclear-powered attack submarine. I’m sure that once it’s deep-fried, it will taste the same, though.
Halibut/Nuclear Sub … To-may-to/To-mah-to. (Helene Sofie Thorkildsen/Norwegian Armed Forces)
The crew of the fishing vessel Øygutt, a group of seasoned seafarers known for their uncanny ability to land the biggest fish in the fjords, were simply out on a routine fishing trip when they hooked something… much bigger. The USS Virginia, a stealthy submarine capable of disappearing beneath the waves, was apparently less stealthy than its designers had hoped.
The crew of the fishing vessel Øygutt was trawling for halibut off the coast of Tromsø when the net they dropped snared the USS Virginia, a 115-meter-long submarine. The submarine, equipped with cruise missiles and a crew of young sailors, was blissfully unaware of its predicament and dragged the net for several nautical miles.
The US Navy confirmed the incident, stating that the submarine was operating in the area as part of NATO’s surveillance of Russian naval activity. The submarine’s propeller apparently became entangled in the fishing net, leading to the unusual maritime mishap.
Halibut is WAY easier to cook than a nuclear submarine, trust me. (NwongPR/Flickr)
Regardless of the cause, this incident raises serious questions about the competence of the US Navy. It’s hard to imagine a more embarrassing situation for a global superpower. Imagine the headline: “US Submarine Outfished by Norwegian Fishermen.” It’s the kind of headline that could haunt recruitment officers for years to come. But quite excellent for the Norwegian Fisherman Recruitment Agency. There’s probably one of those…
This latest maritime mishap points to a need for better coordination between the US Navy and Norwegian fishermen. Perhaps a joint training exercise could help prevent future incidents, maybe followed by a nice fish supper. Or perhaps the Navy should just stick to the open ocean and leave the fjords to the locals. After all, as the Norwegians say, “fisk er fisk” – fish is fish. And sometimes, that fish is a nuclear submarine.