Submarines: February 19, 2003

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Australia's six Collins class diesel-electric submarines are temporarily stuck in port as a flooding incident in one of the subs is investigated. HMAS Dechaineux suffered a burst seawater pipe while the sub was underwater. Several tons of water were taken on board, but the crew executed emergency procedures, brought the boat to the surface and returned to port under their own power. The new Collins class boats have experienced numerous teething problems since they entered service in the 1990s. Each of the Collins class boats ended up costing over half a billion dollars (US), which was fifty percent more than originally planned.