top of page

Corrective measures after 1971

Since 1971, the following corrections have been made:

​​

For instructions to staff

  • shift staff can no longer move at the same time

  • the watch stations have been equipped with handrails.

  • Damage response instructions have been changed.

  • The shift changes were staggered in time H-15 minutes; H, and H+15.

​

For equipment

​

  • Bar damage

​

The frequency of breakage of the tiller hoses was, before the Minerva, already considered critical. They were replaced by copper "hunting horn" pipes.

​

The rudders (which steer the submarine in depth for diving) are corrected and balanced. Until then, if the rudder was out of balance, it naturally rallied to the dangerous position (+30°), aggravating the point of the submarine.

Text of a 1999 conference, internal to the Navy on the accidents  of the Minerve and the Eurydice

Image8.jpg

​

  • Snorkel

​​

After the three water entry events in the snorkel of Minerve, Eurydice and Flora (assumed for the first 2 and certain for Flora) two additional modifications to those cited have been made.


1.      Installation of a grid on the water inlet lantern of the air tube to avoid the entry of foreign bodies..

  • On the photo of the Minerve snorkeling opposite in 1961, we can clearly see that the air inlet passage is very wide, and can possibly allow a foreign body to pass under the head valve of the tube. air and thus hinder the closure of said valve, hence the possibility of water ingress.

​

2. Installation of a pneumatic press to assist in closing the cupola.

  • The dome is a "Plug" or "Valve" that closes the air intake pipe of the snorkel at the entrance to the thick hull of the submarine.

Jean Le Tallec

Article by Jean Lle Tallec for the magazine "La Baille" of January 2020 on the measures following the accidents of the Daphné submarines

  • Before this addition of a pneumatic closing press, the cupola, dropped by the master of the central during "Alert", fell from its own weight, then was locked manually. Or , after study, tests and lab trials (following the Flora event), we observed  the dome could not fall under its own weight in the event of strong attitude (positive or negative), and strong water entry to the air tube. A very strong movement of water flow in a spiral (siphon) which can form and keep the dome open under the effect of the forces generated by the water, tending on the contrary to go up it.

​

For the "Dive safety"culture

​

In the 70s documents containing reviews and analyzes of incidents will be published.

​

Known as the “diving safety information bulletin” or BISP, these thirty-page booklets were four in number.

​

Their importance was such that the visa of all officers and  central masters, attesting to the consultation, was required annuallyon a butterfly pasted on the second cover of each of the 4 booklets. They were part of the documents presented to the Admiral in general inspection identically, for example,  orders of the commander. The authority then had a visa.

 

It even happened that this one questioned a young officer in 5th: “the incident of ... in 19.., what do you know about it?” It was better to know.

bottom of page