Norway has blown up the torpedoes from a half-billion-dollar shipwreck after Norwegian military divers carefully removed half of them from the ill-fated frigate, Helge Ingstad. The other half was considered too volatile to risk moving and were detonated on-site.
The Ingstad was struck by a Greek oil tanker last November after returning from a NATO drill, tearing a giant hole in its side and leaking some 10,000 liters of helicopter fuel into the sea. There were eight injuries out of the ship’s crew of 137.
The night of the collision, the crew of the Ingstad reported a cluster of lights in the distance which they thought were objects onshore. Instead, it was the tanker, which similarly did not identify the navy vessel. When the oil tanker tried to radio the Ingstad, the Navy crew thought it was a transmission intended for another ship.
After the ill-fated vessel was abandoned, it was towed toward the shore – only for cables holding the ship upright to snap a week later.
Photos of #RoyalNorwegianNavy Frigate: pic.twitter.com/Qozvso3Vyj
— NWC Naval & Maritime News (@NavalNews) November 8, 2018
The 442-foot ship cost approximately $500 million USD, and was built in the Spanish Navantia shipyard between 2006 – 2011. The purchase included six NH-90 helicopters which were able to operate from the ship – considered one of the most modern pieces of military hardware in Norway’s navy.
The Helge was one of the most expensive purchases the Norwegian military has made, and has a large quantity of weapons and explosives on board.
There is more ammunition on board the sunken vessel, which will need to be assessed before whatever is left of the ship can be raised.
via ZeroHedge News http://bit.ly/2BsaVw7 Tyler Durden