Canada pulls its submarines out of service

The Canadian navy pulled all three of its submarines out of service Tuesday while officials investigate last week's fatal fire aboard the HMCS Chicoutimi.

The Oct. 5 fire killed one crew member and injured nine sailors, two of whom were recovering in an Irish hospital.

Vice-Admiral Bruce MacLean said the navy decided to dock the submarines, all three the same class as the Chicoutimi, after the initial inquiry provided information that "caused me to decide it would be prudent to keep all submarines alongside until more analysis can be done on the possible causes of the fire."

Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham said the safety of the sailors was the first priority, and he wasn't sure how long the boats would remain docked.

All four submarines were purchased from Britain.

Graham said no decision on potential legal action against Britain would be taken until the facts surrounding the fire were established.

The formal investigation started Tuesday in Glasgow, Scotland, when inquiry board members conducted an inspection of the submarine.

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