Huge nuclear submarine photographed just off Malin Head, Donegal. - image by Damien McCallig

A Huge submarine was photographed of the north coast of Donegal this morning. The huge submarine was spotted and photographed passing this morning 20 miles northwest of Malin Head by Damien McCallig

Damien McCallig, chief engineer on the RV Celtic Explorer spotted the sub at around 6am this morning of Malin head. It is heading east towards the UK coast and was about two miles from us.

A source said: “If the submarine was 20m off Irish waters, that’s international waters.

“Anything beyond a 12m (off Ireland) limit is international waters.”

Mr McCallig, from Galway, told the Irish Independent: “The submarine passed us about 20m northwest of Malin Head.

The Submarine is believed to be the UK vanguard submarine.

The Vanguard class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme, and includes four vessels: Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance, built between 1986 and 1999 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, now owned by BAE Systems.

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Since the decommissioning of the Royal Air Force WE.177 free-fall thermonuclear weapons during March 1998, the four Vanguard submarines are the sole platforms for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons. Each submarine is armed with up to 16 UGM-133 Trident II missiles. The class is scheduled to be replaced starting in 2028, although its replacement would not enter service until the early 2030s.

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