Three submarine crew, one of them said to be critically ill, were airlifted to Sligo General Hospital last night by RAF Sea King helicopter.
Bad weather continued to hamper efforts to tow the Canadian submarine, HMCS Chicoutimi, back to Scotland as it continued to drift without engine power around 120 miles off the Donegal/Mayo coast.
The men brought to Sligo hospital last night were those most in need of medical attention after fire broke out on board the submarine on Tuesday. They were winched to safety in difficult weather conditions, with a force eight to nine north-westerly gale and seas of up to 24 ft.
The Naval Service patrol ship LE Aoife was expected to rendezvous at midnight last night with the rescue fleet, led by several British navy vessels and supported by an RAF Nimrod surveillance aircraft. The LE Niamh was also expected to arrive on scene at about 5 a.m. today, weather permitting, as part of the Irish Coast Guard's efforts to monitor any pollution in the area and give assistance if necessary.
An Irish fishing vessel, Western Endeavour, has been standing by the submarine since Tuesday night, after the Mayday was issued by the submarine.
The alert was raised shortly after 3 p.m. on Tuesday when several fires broke out on the former British submarine, recently sold to Canada, while it was on its delivery trip from Faslane in Scotland to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Most of the 57 crew on board are reported to be "in good spirits" but being "tossed to and fro something crazy", according to a British military spokesman. Stabilisers fitted to submarines for surfacing tend to be ineffectual without adequate power.
But the conventional (non-nuclear powered) submarine, which is believed to have sustained more damage than initially thought, has some auxiliary power to provide light and heat.
This was confirmed by Mr Seamus Tully, owner of the 70 m Killybegs vessel Western Endeavour, who said the Irish vessel had been fishing for horse mackerel when assistance was sought and it steamed to the submarine.
Conditions had been "very poor" on Tuesday night, said skipper Mr John Bach, who had spoken directly to the submarine commander throughout yesterday. The HMS Monarch, the first military ship on scene, despatched a medical team on board yesterday, according to the British Military of Defence. Two other Royal Navy ships, also en route yesterday, will remain with the submarine while two tugs try to effect a tow when weather conditions ease later this evening or early tomorrow.
The HMCS Chicoutimi, formerly the HMS Upholder, had left Faslane, Scotland, on Sunday, after it was formally handed over to its Canadian purchasers by the British Ministry of Defence last Saturday. The Canadian military authorities said two fires had broken out which caused damage and left the vessel without engine power. British authorities have denied the submarine was defective.
"Significant damage" was caused to the commanding officer's cabin and the electrical equipment room, which are on separate decks of the submarine, the Canadian authorities said. Most of the vessel's portable fire equipment was used to extinguish the fire.
The Naval Service patrol ship LE Róisín was docked in Killybegs for repairs yesterday after it sustained a hole in its port bow while en route to the submarine on Tuesday. The ship had been west of Rathlin O'Birne Island off Donegal when it sustained damage to the flare on its port bow in severe weather.
"The damage was significant and the ship was taking water, but it would have continued if there had been any immediate risk to life on the submarine," Cdr Gerry O'Flynn of the Naval Service said.
