An undated handout photograph released by French Navy on 16 February 2009 shows the nuclear...

French Navy sources have confirmed that Le Triomphant, one of four strategic nuclear submarines of the so-called 'Force de Frappe', was returning from a 70 day tour of duty when the incident occurred. The collision happened in heavy seas, and in the middle of the night between 03 and 04 February, in the Atlantic Ocean, and left Le Triomphant's sonar dome all but destroyed. British Department of Defense, following their standard policy involving their nuclear submarines activities, would not even confirm it had taken place. Both vessels are understood to have been carrying missiles with nuclear warheads at the time of the accident