Submarine accident leaves 1 dead, 23 injured

A US nuclear submarine that ran aground over the weekend appeared to have struck a large rock, land or other natural feature as it conducted underwater operations about 565km south of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, a Navy spokesman said yesterday.

The ship "struck something very hard and did an emergency surface", said the spokesman. There were no reports of damage to the submarine's nuclear reactor, he said, and the vessel made its way back to Guam under its own power. Its outer hull was damaged, but its inner hull remained intact.

One sailor was killed and at least 23 others suffered injuries including broken bones, cuts and bruises.