"Heaviness Caught, Loved 'Wolcheok'..."... Identity of 7,800t Caught in Fishing Boat Net

US Submarine Entangled in Trawl Net in Norwegian Sea

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine got entangled in a fishing boat's net in Norway.

On the 14th (local time), U.S. media outlet Business Insider reported that on the 11th, in the northeastern sea of Norway, the fishing vessel Owiigut's trawl net caught the propeller of the USS Virginia while fishing.

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine got caught in a fishing boat's net in Norway. Photo by Getty Images

The USS Virginia is the latest U.S. attack nuclear-powered submarine. It is a large vessel measuring 115 meters in length and weighing 7,800 tons. The submarine reportedly departed from Tromsø, Norway.

The fishermen had hauled up the net once to catch fish, then cast the net back into the sea and were returning to shore when they were contacted by the coast guard. The net got entangled with the submarine's propeller and was dragged about 2 nautical miles (3.7 km) before being torn off.

Subsequently, the Norwegian Coast Guard assisted in cutting the net tangled in the propeller. No injuries were reported from the incident.

The area is where the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea meet. The Barents Sea borders the territorial waters of Norway and Russia, making it a sensitive region for Russia.

USS Missouri, a US Navy submarine. The photo is not directly related to the article content. Photo by Yonhap News.

It is rare for a U.S. Navy submarine to be spotted close to the coast. Business Insider reported that in recent months, as the U.S. and Norway have strengthened cooperation in response to Russian activities, U.S. forces have been deployed several times to Norwegian waters for joint exercises.

Crew member Harald Engen said, "I knew there was a vessel navigating over the net, but I had never heard of a submarine doing that."

Meanwhile, on that day, the Owiigut earned 20,000 kroner (about 2.52 million KRW) from the fish caught, but the price of the torn net is estimated to be 40,000 to 50,000 kroner (about 5.04 to 6.3 million KRW).

A U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet official explained, "There is generally a procedure to claim reimbursement when damage is caused to civilian equipment."