The Canadian Navy has made a special presentation to Irish rescue agencies following the emergency involving the submarine HMCS Chicoutimi off the north coast earlier this month.
The tribute by the Canadian naval ship, HMCS St John's was made in Cork yesterday as questions were still being asked about the handling of the alert by the British and Canadian military.
One officer died as a result of the incident when a fire broke out on board some 100 miles west-north-west of Arranmore island. Two of his colleagues required hospital treatment in Sligo.
All three were not evacuated until the day after the series of fires occurred.
Marine industry representatives in Killybegs, Co Donegal, have claimed that the loss of life could have been avoided if Irish fishing vessels in the area had been allowed to give assistance early on.
The alert occurred in the British search and rescue zone, but co-ordination for the response was assumed early on by the British defence ministry. It was only when the immobilised submarine drifted southwards into the Irish zone that the services of the Naval Service patrol ship, LE Aoife were called upon.
Irish fishing vessels in the area were told that there was a four- mile exclusion zone around the submarine and offers of help were turned down.
Mr Barry Sharkey, managing director of Barry Electronics in Killybegs, said that the military obsession with secrecy and bureaucracy had resulted in needless loss of life. He was also critical of the fact that the remaining 54 crew on board the submarine were forced to stay with the vessel - apart from short breaks on a British Navy ship - during the towing operation back into Faslane, Scotland.
The new €50 million deepwater harbour in Killybegs would have been well able to accommodate the submarine, as it has a depth of up to 14 metres in low water and three tugs to assist with berthage.
Mr Jim Parkinson, managing director of Sinbad Marine Services, the main shipping agent in the north-west, said that it also highlighted the need for a State- funded tug to be on standby for serious marine rescue and pollution emergencies.
At yesterday's ceremony in Cork, Cdr Mark Norman, the captain of the Canadian ship St John's, thanked the Irish agencies, including the Irish Coast Guard, Naval Service and the Killybegs fishing vessel, Western Endeavour, for their response to the submarine alert.
Cdr Norman presented the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, Commodore Frank Lynch, with a certificate of thanks. Referring to a traditional naval signalling code "BZ", meaning well done, Cdr Norman extended a "BZ" to the Irish authorities.
Commodore Lynch said he was pleased to accept the presentation on behalf of the Irish agencies, and acknowledged the significance of diverting the St John's to the south-west, when it is en route back to Nova Scotia.
Commodore Lynch also expressed his condolences to the Canadians on the loss of their colleague, Lieut Chris Saunders, the officer who died while en route to hospital by Royal Navy helicopter.
The Canadian military authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the Chicoutimi emergency.
