description USS Thresher (SSN-593) Overview
USS Thresher (SSN-593) was a United States Navy nuclear-powered attack submarine and the lead vessel of its class. It sank in the North Atlantic on 10 April 1963 during deep-diving trials, killing all 129 people aboard and becoming the first nuclear-powered submarine lost at sea. The disaster prompted the Navy to establish the SUBSAFE program, which strengthened design, construction, documentation, and testing requirements for systems critical to submarine watertight integrity and recovery.
help USS Thresher (SSN-593) FAQ
What caused USS Thresher to sink during its 1963 trials?
The Navy concluded that a seawater piping failure probably caused flooding and electrical shutdowns during a deep-diving test on 10 April 1963. The submarine then lost propulsion and descended below the depth at which its hull could withstand the pressure.
Why could USS Skylark not rescue Thresher?
The submarine-support ship USS Skylark received garbled underwater messages and detected signs of trouble, but Thresher was operating far below any practical crew-rescue capability. All 129 people aboard the submarine were lost.
Was USS Thresher carrying nuclear weapons when it sank?
Thresher was a nuclear-powered attack submarine, but publicly available Navy accounts do not establish that it carried nuclear weapons during the trials. Its nuclear reactor and wreckage remain on the Atlantic seabed, where the Navy has conducted environmental monitoring.
How did the Thresher disaster change United States submarine safety?
The loss led the Navy to establish the SUBSAFE program, which imposes strict controls on submarine design, construction, maintenance, and testing. No SUBSAFE-certified United States submarine has subsequently been lost at sea.
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