HM SUBMARINE THETIS AND SUBMARINE RESCUE

Early day motion 1035, tabled 19 March 2002 by Edward O'Hara (Labour). Signed by 36 members.

That this House recalls the sinking of HM Submarine Thetis in Liverpool Bay in 1939 with the loss of 99 crew; notes the similarities with the Kursk disaster 60 years later; and urges Her Majesty's Government to take a lead in developing and establishing the use of rescue equipment such as an internationally agreed standard docking device and the means of communication from submarines to surface vessels in rescue operations at great depth, to promote the presumption that saving lives should take priority over salvaging vessels, and to exonerate the 99 victims in the Thetis from the stigma of failing to escape.

Signatures by party: Labour 30, Liberal Democrat 4, Labour/Co-operative 2.