'Anomaly occurred': British nuclear sub missile launch FAILS as Trident dramatically misfires and ‘plops’ into ocean just yards away

HMS Vanguard was under the surface but was not hit by the 44ft missile as it plunged back into the Atlantic.
Photo: Military picture libary

A British ‘Trident’ missile dramatically misfired and crashed into the ocean yards from the British nuclear submarine that launched it, The Sun can reveal.

The second failed launch in a row – after a misfire in 2016 – happened while Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was on board HMS Vanguard to witness the test.

It is the second failed test since 2016, when a Trident fired from HMS Vengeance veered off course and self-destructed

The Ministry of Defence confirmed an “anomaly occurred” during the January 30 exercise off Florida, but the nuclear deterrent remains “effective".

The crew on the nuclear sub completed their doomsday drill, and the Trident 2 missile was propelled into the air by compressed gas in the launch tube.

But its first stage boosters did not ignite and the 58-ton missile – fitted with dummy warheads – splashed into the ocean and sank.

A source said: “It left the submarine but it just went plop, right next to them.”

HMS Vanguard was under the surface, hovering at launch depth, but was not hit by the 44ft missile as it plunged back into the Atlantic.

Immediately, a frantic probe began to find out what went wrong and a search ordered to recover the top-secret missile technology from the seabed at Port Canaveral, Florida.

It is the second failed test since 2016, when a Trident fired from HMS Vengeance veered off course and self-destructed.

No further details are being made public about what went wrong on the grounds of “national security”.

In June 2016 a Trident 2 blasted out of HMS Vengeance and its rocket boosters successfully ignited. But moments later it veered off course, reportedly towards the US, and automatically self-destructed.

Later, Theresa May’s government was accused of covering up the failed launch as Parliament was due to vote on renewing the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

The Trident fired from HMS Vanguard was due to fly 3,700 miles from off the coast of Florida to an impact point in the mid-Atlantic between Brazil and West Africa.

Its intended route was revealed in warning to ships and aircraft from National Geo Spatial Intelligence Agency.

The last successful UK launch came in October 2012, when HMS Vigilant fired the missile after a refit and sea trials.

In the event of a nuclear conflict, each of the Navy’s four Vanguard subs can fire 16 Trident 2 missiles.

Each of the rockets is armed with multiple nuclear warheads.

Despite the misfire last month, the MoD said HMS Vanguard and her 149 crew had “proven fully capable of operating the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent, passing all tests”. It went on the say: “The test has reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent(?!!!), in which we have absolute confidence.”

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