The World : Secret Gear Reported Lost

A 5,000-ton British nuclear submarine lost top-secret NATO radar tracking equipment last week when a Soviet sub cruising in the Barents Sea cut a cable towing the device, the London Mail reported. The newspaper said it was unclear whether the Soviets intentionally severed the cable or whether it was an accident during a near-collision. But, the newspaper said, Royal Navy experts said it appeared that the Soviets deliberately rammed the 1,640-yard cable towing the secret gear in a maneuver to sever it. One Royal Navy expert quoted by the newspaper said that if the Soviets recover the equipment from the seabed, it will be “a disaster for us and major prize for them.” The Defense Ministry declined comment on the report.