Australian submarine suffers onboard fire while at sea

A submarine of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) suffered an onboard fire while underway in an incident that occurred last month, Australia’s ABC News reported on Tuesday, September 26.

No details have been provided as to when the fire ignited on board the Collins-class diesel-electric submarine HMAS Farncomb, nor where the vessel was located at the time of the incident. However, a defence spokesperson said the crew were able to successfully extinguish the blaze, allowing operations to resume afterwards.

The spokesperson also assured ABC that there were no injuries resulting from the “small electrical fire” on the submarine.

ABC added that defence officials have declined to confirm Farncomb‘s present location or the nature of the repairs required by the submarine.

Commissioned in 1998, Farncomb will be the first of the RAN’s Collins-class boats to undergo a Life of Type Extension (LOTE), which will enable it to remain in service into the 2040s.

Local defence shipbuilder ASC said it is “on schedule” to commence the LOTE on Farncomb in 2026.