Navy

Seven sailors are kicked off ‘hunter killer’ nuclear submarine after testing positive for cocaine on duty in 'major embarrassment for top brass' and one of the worst scandals to hit Royal Navy

Seven sailors have been kicked off a Royal Navy ‘hunter killer’ nuclear submarine after being caught taking cocaine, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

In one of the worst scandals to hit the Navy, the crew members from HMS Talent – which is armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles – were ordered off the submarine after testing positive while on duty.

The sailors attended a drug-fuelled party after the 5,300-ton boat docked at Devonport Naval Base. They failed a compulsory drugs test when they returned to the sub the next day to prepare for a sensitive mission to track Russian submarine movements in the North Sea and the Arctic Circle.

When Royal Navy doctors confirmed the results last week, senior officers ordered that they be handed over to military police.

Defence sources said HMS Talent had been due to sail from Devonport on Friday, but the 280ft-long boat was last night still at the Plymouth base.