NationStates Jolt Archive

Breaking News:

June 29, 2007
0630 local

"Hi. I'm Tom Kenny for Sky News regional partner Commonwealth Media. We are here at Port Charles, the largest city in the Commonwealth of the Crystal Mountains. There has been some sort of serious incident at sea and there will be a press conference momentarily. I believe- yes, there is a CCM Coast Guard Officer approaching the podium..."

"Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press. I'm Lt. Commander Eric Kelly, Public Affairs Officer of the Port Charles Coast Guard Garrison."

"At just before 3 am our time, we received a mayday from the CCM flagged merchant ship Michael Stevens. They stated that they had collided with a submerged object which subsequently exploded and sank. Michael Stevens was rapidly taking on water and was down by the bow."

"Upon receiving the mayday, we vectored our patrolling Nimrod maritime surveillance aircraft to their reported position and launched two Super-Lynx helicopters and two cutters to pick up survivors."

"Our Nimrod arrived on site just in time to see the Michael Stevens go under. It loitered in the area to vector in the rescue craft."

"So far we have accounted for 27 of the 30 sailors from the Michael Stevens."

"At this time we have high confidence that the Michael Stevens collided with a submarine but we have no idea whose sub it is. Since we have gotten our cutters to the collision site, they have located the subs emergency acoustic beacon. We have also detected traces of radiation characteristic of a subs power plant."

"At this time I can take a few questions. Let start with Mr. Wells in the front row."

Wells: "Than you Lt. Commander Kelly. Ron Wells for CNN. Where precisely did the collision occur? What was the Michael Stevens cargo?"

Kelly: "The collision was 320 kilometers South-South-West of Port Charles in international waters. Michael Stevens was carrying a load of construction equipment."

Xhou: "Ling Xhou, China Today: how deep are the waters there? What are the chances for rescuing the crew of the sub?"

Kelly: "The geography of that part of the ocean ranges from shoals only a hundred meters deep to deep valleys 2.2 kilometers deep. It all depends on the precise location of where she went down. If the sub went down in just a couple of hundred meters of water, it is possible that some of the crew could be saved. However, if it went down in what we call blue water, chances are grim."

Kenny: "Tom Kenny for Sky News: Does the CCM have the equipment to attempt such a rescue?"

Kelly: "No- that is why we called this press conference. As of today, the CCM does not operate any submarines and we have no submarine rescue capability. We are contacting our regional allies for help and are trying to get the word out: somebody is missing a nuclear submarine. We here in the CCM- this is a very serious environmental problem. Having a wreaked nuclear submarine so close to economically significant fishing shoals is a disaster for our fishing industry."

"Gentlemen- that's all that we know at the moment. When we know more, we'll call another press conference. Good day."


Kenny: "There you have it. We will have more on this story as it develops.

Official Zweiten Reich Statement

We are sorry for the loss of your ship, and we are also sorry to say that we also do not operate any submarines. However, we are willing to investigate with a surface vessel.

Zweiten Reich Foreign Ministry

Naval High Command Communication
This is a very dangerous situation. The loss of a nuclear submarine could mean a large environmental disaster, of which the radiation would wreck that area of the ocean for decades to come. Additionally, this is a high security concern to the NPE and TPF. If this submarine is carrying nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, we would be very interested to learn what nation would have such a machine in NPE waters. While we no qualms with nuclear submarines transversing near the NPE in international waters, we do express serious concern in this case, as whatever nation owns submarine is violating our maritime sovereignty and as such will have to answer for it. We have dispatched the Fifth Home Squadron naval group, which will be accompanied by Coast Guard and advisor's trained to handle the situation. We however would like to stress that a nation probaly will not claim it as theirs' due to the sensitive nature of a nuclear armed or propelled submarine. However, we strongly urge the nation whose this submarine does belong to to come forth and help us in efforts.

We should probably look for the nation whose defense minister is named Thomas Dolby. :D

VERENBERG DEFENCE COMMUNICATION

too all concerned, at 12am this morning the Naval Signals Corp (NSC) lost contact with one of our HOTEL class submarines the KMU 951,

it was out in International Waters "stretching its Legs"

this is a Very old Ex-Soviet style Submarine, we are unaware of what has happened to the 125 souls on board, before losing contact, the KMU 951 Radiod that it was having trouble with its Navigational systems.


we ask that any nation able to help please do so, we shall right this wrong once we have saved these brave sailors

the 10th Fleet has been dispatched with the 32nd Salvage Fleet and should be there in one NS Day


-END COMMUNICATION

Official Imperial Response

The Imperial Kingdom shares the concerns of TPF as to having nuclear armed submarines operating within NPE waters. As a precautionary measure the Imperial Kingdom has stepped up patrols around the colony of New Gataway, and if assistance is needed vessels may be released to aid the fifth home squadron.

In response to the rescue operation the Imperial Kingdom will offer the support of three salvage ships equipped with SRV's and other equipment necessary to successfully save the trapped sailors.

Breaking News: Submarine Crisis in the East Prussian Sea
June 30, 2007
06:30 local

"I'm Tom Kenny for Sky News regional partner Commonwealth Media. I'm here in the charming island nation, the Commonwealth of the Crystal Mountains, best known as a holiday destination, as a life or death drama plays out some 320 kilometers South-South-West of Port Charles."

"It has been a little over 24 hours since the Crystal Mountains Coast Guard announced the collision of one of a CCM flagged merchant ship and, an as yet unidentified, nuclear submarine. We have been waiting but there has been no official statements from the Coast Guard or the CCM government in general."

"This reporter would remiss to warn the viewers NOT read too much into this silence. This is typical of CCM Senior Minister, the local equal of Prime Minister, Richard James. Mr. James is famous for his taciturn nature and has, in times of similar political crisis, cautioned against speculating ourselves to death.

"This incident has touched off a great deal of international tension. The appearance of an unknown nuclear sub so close to New Prussian Empire territory while several NPE states are actively engaged in hostilities has raised the alert level of military units across the region."

"In an off camera interview with officers of the CCM Coast Guard this reporter was told that this is not the first incident involving unknown foreign submarines. Earlier this year a trawler apparently captured a submarine in their net and it capsized them. Other fishermen tell stories of similar collisions with powerful submerged vessels that were otherwise unaffected."

"This reporter has it on good authority that several regional states have sent salvage and rescue equipment to the wreak site but there has been no word concerning the fate of the mysterious submarine or her crew."

"Tom Kenny for Sky News, Port Charles, CCM."

(ooc: please note i am in the New Prussian Empire)

Verenberg National News

"hi im Heinrich Schultz reporting here for VNN, about the submarine incident,
a new development, earlier this morning while reviewing the information transmitted via our VNN satellite, we discovered a radio code on a frequency known to be used by the Verenberg Navy for emergency distress signals, the Signal identified the Vessel as the the U-Boat KMU 951 an older Nuclear submarine technology that was obsolete by 1993"


"Grand Admiral von Ackart , through the remote control at the TV and broke the screen, his aids looked worried,
find out how they found that code and how they broke it
i want them hung from the highest branch of the Tallest tree"

just then the door opened to the Strategic Naval operations room, it was the Kaiser Himself, the Ancient figure stood there and looked around, it was unusual for him to leave the Palace at such an age

"Achtung" Yelled von Ackart as they all snapped the arms into a Roman Greeting

then they relaxed although remained at attention

von Ackart"we have a situation my Kaiser"

Kaiser:"i know, i watch the news, i assume the Governments in the Area of the disaster know"

von Ackart"we assume so my Kaiser"

Kaiser:"if the Media asks, do not deny it or confirm it, they will have a field if we deny and they find out its true"

von Ackart"but what about foreign news net-works"

Kaiser:"there is nothing we can do, the main thing is to get the brave sailors out of that U-Boat'

The People's Sovereign Republic

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Official Communiqué

The République Souverain de Populus is deeply troubled by the loss of a nuclear submarine, especially one that could contain ballistic nuclear missiles that pose a security threat to our nation. At this time, we will be dispatching three Astute-class submarines to investigate this incident.

Sincerely,
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/2462/signkc8ht0.png
The Rt. Hon. Sir Alistair Davidson, MP
Consul of the People's Sovereign Republic of British Londinium

Aboard a TPF Destroyer, on rescue/salvage operation
Commander Owens winced at this latest development. The nuclear submarine apparently belonged to a new nation that had just recently joined the NPE. Of concern now was whether the submarine had been in NPE waters before or after the entrance of the nation into the alliance High Command sincerely wanted to know what such a submarine was even doing in these waters. This of course, was Commander Owens job as well as his squadron that he commanded. They were just a half day away from the crisis zone now. Owens was a part of the regular navy, so he had little knowledge of these rescue/salvage operations. This was why the Coast Guard was with him. Even now, at the back of his ships, they were readying a midget rescue submarine, whose job will be to dive to the depths of the downed submarine and look for survivors. If there were none, the salvage operation could begin. It was comforting to Owens, at least, that this submarine did not belong to any enemy states, it chilled him to know that such a sub could be operating within nuclear striking range of TPF and Wanderjar. Now he just waited to find out. Hopefully, the nuclear reactor had not yet been breached, or else no rescue, or salvage effort could even be made, such a situation would be even more precarious, with radiation leeching the ocean for hundreds, if not thousands of miles, killing any and all life, leaving a dead zone.

The Tolvanic destroyers Downes and Simmons were a little over 100 knots from Chrytal Mountain waters when they received word of the collsion between a CM merchant ship and an unknown nuclear submarine. The two destroyers were on little more than a goodwill mission, the Chrystal Mountain Navy had expressed interest in both the Billings class guided missile destroyer and the Shaw class ASW destroyer and so after much lobbying from the CEO of Tolvanic Marine Engineering, the Navy had sent the ships to visit Chrystal Mountains and show of the selling points of the vessels. In fact the Simmons was the last Shaw class destroyer in active service and was slated to transferred to the reserves upon her return to port.

However, the situation had changed and new orders were issued. For now the ships would continue to head towards CM waters, but they were to monitor the situation closely.

Grand Admiral von Ackart stands behind a Lectern with the Verenberg coat of Arms on it

the press had gathered, he imagined them as sharks circling the podium waoting for him to fall in....to the political trap so they could frezy him, he despised them they took glory in other peoples mysery


"a few days ago we lost contact with a U-Boat of the Verenebrg Navy, this U-Boat was KMU-951 a Nuclear Submarine"

the press got excited and looked at each other as they heard this and quickly wrote it down with smiles on theor faces......vultures he thought

"subsequently 3 hours later a collision occurred between KMU-951 and a fishing vessel 320 kilometers South-South-West off the Crystal Mountain Coast
in International Waters in the East Prussian Sea"

"nations all over the area came to the aid of the brave sailors and we are happy to say that tonight most of them have been saved"


Reporter:"what weapons was the U-Boat Carring"

Grand Admiral von Ackart: "thats Classified"

Reporter: isn't it true the Hotel class submarine is capable of carrying Nuclear War Heads

Grand Admiral von Ackart: thats it no more questions



ooc: foreign reporters can ask questions

Submarine Crisis in the East Prussian Sea

July 1, 2007
16:30 local


"Tom Kenny for Sky News regional partner Commonwealth Media. I'm here again in the charming island nation, the Commonwealth of the Crystal Mountains, with our ongoing coverage of the submarine crisis in the East Prussian Sea."

"There have been some major breaks in the story today and we are standing by for a major address from Senior Minister Richard James. Apparently the CCM Senior Minister has requested that his government to withhold further comment as the owner of the sub has been determined and they are given the courtesy of first comment."

"This is what we know at this hour:"

"First- the submarine has been identified as KMU-951, a Hotel class nuclear submarine originally produced in the Soviet Union. The sub belongs to NPE member state Verenburg which has publically acknowledged the incident."

"Secondly- the KMU-951 was found in a little over 200 meters of water in relatively good shape. Rescue operations are being carried out by the allied rescue fleet and I am pleased to announce at this hour a number of survivors have been recovered."

"I am getting a signal from our control room that we are ready to go to Senior Minister Richard James..."

The scene changes to an understated press room where the Senior Minister was standing behind a podium displaying the red and white flag of the Crystal Mountains.

Richard James: "Good afternoon. For the past few days we have been closely following the tragic collision of our merchant ship the Michael Stevens and an unknown submarine. I have restrained our usual public affairs efforts so that rather than speculating on what happened that we wait until we had some real answers.

"As of now we have those answers. The submarine was the KMU-951, an old nuclear submarine used by the Verenburg navy as a cadet ship. Lieutenant Muller could you join me?"

A young, tall naval officer in a dress Verenburg uniform joined the senior minister beside the podium.

Richard James: "Lt. Muller is the senior surviving officer of the KMU-951and is here to fill in the blanks for us."

Lt. Muller: "Thank you Senior Minister. We were twenty days out of port on what we call a qualification cruise. These cruises are always on old submarines with a number of difficulties provided by the trainers. On such a cruise, every day at a specific hour, we go to periscope depth and raise our ESM mast to get possible messages from our command. Three days ago while we had our ESM mast extended, it was struck by lightning which caused all sorts of damage to our bridge electronics. This was just the sort of thing that the training officer hoped for. Our Commander, actually a Lt. Commander who was trying to qualify for Commander, opted that we go to 100 meters and hover while we tried to fix the electronics on the bridge. We made slow progress- only the most primitive sonar functions were available. Communications were OK but we couldn't do anything with navigation computer. We had resorted to surfacing and taking a fix with an astrolabe. We were surfacing to take a fix when the collision occurred."

Richard James: "You are doing well Lt. Please go on."

Lt. Muller: "The bow of the freighter struck the conning tower and punctured the primary ballast tank which was at full blow since we were surfacing. Instantly, the airtight doors slammed shut and we began to sink. I was in my bunk as I was off duty but raced to my duty station. My qualification was for chief engineer so I went to the reactors controls and scrammed the two reactors. In case there was water incoming I did an emergency vessel cooling which meant that I blew the hot, radioactive steam out of the reactor vessel and replaced it with coolant and locked it down."

Richard James: So.. There is no immediate danger of radioactive release from the KMU-951?"

Lt. Muller: Maybe in many decades... eventually with corrosion, but I had the reactors cold and locked down before the sub came to rest on the sea bed.

Richard James: This was a cadet qualifying cruise. As you were the senior surviving officer, how did your crew perform?"

Lt. Muller: "We were all scared but we did our jobs. As I was locking down the reactors, other members of the crew did an outstanding job of trimming the ship so that it would come to rest on the seabed on its keel. This saved many of us because the rescue subs could easily attach to the escape hatches."

Richard James: "Lt. Muller, your actions in a very difficult situation, and as a cadet, have saved the countries in the region from an environmental disaster and have saved the lives of the majority of the crew of your stricken submarine. You and your crew have conducted yourselves with exemplary heroism and professionalism. I am sure that I speak for the entirety of my nation when I say that we are proud to have such allies."

"It is my privilege to award you and the company of your ship with Order of the Knight's Cross- the highest award that I can give allied personnel."

Senior Minister Richard James puts the medal on Lt Muller's left chest: it is a beautiful red and white ribbon with a Gothic, gem glistening silver cross.

Richard James: "I think that all the blanks have been filled in and that we can put this incident, as tragic as it was, to rest. Speaking for the Commonwealth, we consider the matter closed."

"Let us take the best of this incident to heart. Our regional allies and friends came together in common cause to save life and avert disaster. This sort of cooperation builds bridges and bodes well for our future together."

Reporter: today marked a high in the alliance for Verenberg, one Allied nation gave the brave sailors....living and dead the Knights Cross

tonight the Verenberg Wehrmacht announced that they would be adding Oak leaves to the Sailors Knights Cross's, except Lt Muller who will also be receiving swords with his oakleaves, he will also be given the Order of the Kaiser which entitles him to land and a title in Verenberg, all sailors living and dead will also receive a full Pension and they also said no medical expense will be spared to rehabilitate these brave young men

they have also released that the families of the men who died on the fishing ship will also get a Pension


the Kaiser also extends his most heart felt Gratitude to those Nations who helped