THE DISPUTE THAT led to the shooting dead of one Royal Navy officer and the critical injuring of another was caused by a row over the use of the on board toilet, according to a report.
According to The Times newspaper (subscription required) the shooter was an able seaman who had been guarding the control room. After going off duty he is said to have started the shooting after a row broke out.
The BBC has named the dead crewman as Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux whilst The Daily Telegraph has published details of the men involved including pictures.
The shooting occurred aboard the HMS Astute at Southampton’s Eastern Dockyard yesterday afternoon at around 12.10pm.
The leader of Southampton’s city council said he overpowered the sailor who fired several shots, reports the BBC.
Royston Smith, a Conservative politician, had been on a guided tour of the ship when the incident occurred.
He managed to wrestle the shooter to the ground after a struggle.
It is also reported that eleven children were about to board the vessel just before the shooting happened.
Hampshire Police said later the nuclear submarine was safe and in no danger.
The local police force are investigating the shootings in co-operation with Ministry of Defence (MoD) police and naval provosts, the Guardian reports.
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