Navy

Pictured: Trident submarine captain with access to nuclear trigger stripped of his command over claims he had an affair with a female junior officer

The captain of a Trident nuclear submarine has been stripped of his command over claims that he had an affair with a female junior officer.

Senior commanders were sent to the vessel in international waters after allegations emerged of an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with the woman, it was reported.

Stuart Armstrong, commanding officer of the Vanguard-class submarine HMS Vigilant, has been relieved of duties while he is under investigation.

A senior Ministry of Defence source said the allegations were a ‘duty of care’ issue.

But an MoD spokesman would not confirm the alleged relationship between the captain and a female officer, adding: ‘An investigation is under way. It would be inappropriate to say anything further.’

All Royal Navy vessels have a ‘no-touching rule’ banning intimate relationships.

However, the Navy is particularly strict about relationships that could affect the chain of command.