She is our most advanced nuclear submarine, described as the stealthiest ever built and packed with state of the art navigation equipment.
But somehow the £1.2 billion HMS Astute managed to run aground early today.
The Royal Navy super-sub's rudder got stuck in mud and shingle off the Isle of Skye after venturing into the entrance of a shallow bay to take crew aboard.
Stuck high and dry, she languished there under the bemused gaze of locals as red-faced top brass waited anxiously for the tide to rise so she could be freed. As crowds gathered to marvel at the high-tech wonder, a tourist boat even began running trips out to see her.
The Ministry of Defence stressed there was no likelihood of a nuclear reactor leak and no risk to the public. But the extent of the damage to Astute, which ran aground at 8am as she turnedat the entrance to Loch Alsh after the personnel transfer, was not clear last night.
The incident will, however, inevitably leave the Navy's reputation sorely dented. It is the latest in a costly string of prangs, and came at the end of a dreadful week for them which saw drastic defence cuts that mean it will have its least ships since the age of Henry VIII and shed 5,000 jobs.
To add to the Navy's embarrassment, Astute's crash happened the morning after the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Officials said a full investigation will be held to establish the cause of the 'untoward' incident. It will examine possibilities including navigation error, equipment failure and the role of outside influences such as the wind and tide.
