- A Norwegian fisherman caught a US submarine in his nets this week.
- The USS Virginia’s propellers got tangled in the nets, reports said, dragging them out to sea.
- The US Navy has sent several vessels into nearby waters in recent months amid tensions with Russia.
A Norwegian fisherman made a surprising catch on Monday in the form of a US submarine.
Harald Engen was delivering a catch of halibut to his home near the Malangen fjord in Norway, when he got an unusual message, Norwegian broadcaster NRK News reported.
He was told that the propellers of a submarine had become tangled in his nets and had dragged them two nautical miles — about 2.3 miles — out to sea, NRK reported.
The 377-foot, nuclear-powered USS Virginia had been on its way from the port of Tromsø, the outlet reported, adding that a Norwegian Coast Guard vessel escorting it had to help cut it loose from the nets.
“I know about other vessels that have sailed over fishing nets, but no one out here have ever heard about a submarine doing so,” Engen said, per the Barents Observer.
He told NRK that he wasn't angry, and that the coast guard had been in touch about possible replacements.
Lt. Pierson Hawkins, a spokesperson for the US 6th Fleet, confirmed basic details of the incident to BI but declined to confirm the name of the vessel.
Nobody was hurt in the incident, he said, adding: "The investigation into the cause of the incident is still ongoing."
Speaking on the matter of compensation, Hawkins said: "In general, when the US is responsible for damage to civilian equipment, there is a claims process to reimburse the expense."
Norway's Armed Forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hawkins didn't outline what the submarine was doing off the coast of Norway, beyond the fact that it was leaving Tromsø.
"The US is an Arctic nation and has enduring security interest in the region," he said, adding that the 6th Fleet appreciates Norway's support to US submarine deployments "to deter and defend the increasingly complex security environment of the High North."
There have been multiple US naval deployments in the waters in recent months amid increased cooperation between Norway and the US.
In June, the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Tennessee and the cruiser USS Normandy were deployed to the Norwegian Sea in response to Russian maneuvers, defense news site Army Recognition reported.
More recently, in October, Norway's armed forces announced joint naval exercises running through to November with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.
The British aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was also set to join, the announcement said.
Two guided-missile destroyers from the group, the USS Jason Dunham and USS Stout, were sent on "routine maritime operations" to international waters in the Barents Sea, US Naval Forces Europe and Africa announced.
The Barents Sea, which is bordered by northern Norway and Russia, is considered a sensitive zone for Russia.
In September, US lawmakers expressed concerns about delays and soaring costs in building new vessels, including Virginia-class submarines, particularly in light of China's recent naval expansions.
The US Navy's Virginia-class submarine program is projected to run $17 billion over budget through 2030, Rep. Ken Calvert, chairman of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, said.