Very sad news with the loss of one of the submariners, Lieutenant Chris Saunders, fighting the fire on board the HMCS Chicoutimi adrift off of Ireland. We knew someone back in Halifax who married one of the submariners so know there will be much sadness there tonight. There has been much controversy over the five year life of this submarine purchase from the UK. The HMCS Chicoutimi is the last of the four to be delivered and this was the maiden voyage under her new name and Canadian flag.

The rest of the crew is aboard still in the disabled sub in seas too rough for towing back to port.

The vessel is now rolling in heavy seas off the northwest coast of Ireland. It has little power and is waiting to be towed to land by British rescuers. Prime Minister Paul Martin told the House of Commons Wednesday that the submarine's crew faced "no problems in terms of heat and food," and that towing would commence as [soon as] the sea was calm.