The Naval Service has confirmed that it has launched an investigation into two incidents involving equipment and security on board the LE Emer while the ship was on patrol duties in Irish waters.
The Naval Service press officer, Lieut Cmdr Gerard O'Flynn, confirmed yesterday that military police based at Haulbowline Naval Base had interviewed 40 crew members of the LE Emer about the two incidents, which happened within the last 10 days.
In one incident a key to a secure area disappeared while in the other, a quantity of lubricating oil from a capstan, used to raise and lower the anchor, emptied without any obvious engineering explanation, said Lieut Cmdr O'Flynn.
He said the missing key did not give access to armament stores while he also pointed out that the oil, which was emptied from the capstan, had nothing to do with the ship's engine and did not affect its operational ability.
The LE Emer returned to Haulbowline earlier this week for other mechanical repairs which were unrelated to the two incidents on board the ship. The Emer is the Naval Service's oldest vessel and is due for replacement on or before 2007.
The Naval Service expects that an interim report on the two investigations will be completed before Christmas.
Both investigations are being conducted by the Defence Forces military police.
The LE Emer is due to resume patrols as soon as its technical problems have been resolved, but these have no connection with the investigations, a Naval Service spokesman said.
