Lost Atomic Bombs, Nuclear Elements, and Sunken Nuclear Submarines

Lost Nuclear Weapons ("Broken Arrow" Incidents)

The United States has officially acknowledged 32 "Broken Arrow" incidents—the Pentagon's terminology for the most serious nuclear weapons accidents involving unintentional launches, detonations, thefts, or losses. However, experts believe the actual number of such incidents is likely in the hundreds rather than the official count.tandfonline

Major Lost Nuclear Weapons Incidents

Palomares, Spain (January 17, 1966)

A U.S. B-52 bomber collided with a KC-135 tanker aircraft during aerial refueling, causing four nuclear bombs to fall over the Spanish coastal town of Palomares. Two bombs were recovered on land, but their conventional explosives detonated, scattering plutonium over approximately 0.5 square kilometers. One bomb was recovered intact from the sea after an extensive search, but plutonium contamination required the removal of 1,400 tons of contaminated soil and vegetation to the United States. The cleanup involved approximately 1,600 U.S. military personnel, primarily Air Force, who faced significant plutonium exposure.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih

Thule, Greenland (January 21, 1968)

A B-52 bomber carrying four nuclear weapons crashed on sea ice near Thule Air Base in Greenland. The conventional explosives in the weapons detonated, scattering approximately 3,150 grams of plutonium over 0.223 square kilometers of sea ice. A cloud containing an estimated 1-5 Ci of plutonium drifted from the crash site and deposited radioactive material on sea ice and landscape. Despite cleanup efforts (Project Crested Ice), significant plutonium contamination persisted in marine sediments for decades. One nuclear weapon was never recovered and remains on the seafloor.journals.lww+2

Goldsboro, North Carolina (January 24, 1961)

A B-52 bomber broke apart in mid-air, dropping two Mark 39 nuclear bombs near Goldsboro. One bomb's parachute deployed and the weapon was recovered relatively intact, but five of its six safety mechanisms had failed. The second bomb broke apart on impact and one component containing uranium remains buried under 50-200 feet of mud and water in a swamp, despite recovery attempts.tandfonline

Tybee Island, Georgia (February 5, 1958)

During a training exercise, a B-47 bomber carrying a Mark 15 nuclear bomb collided with an F-86 fighter jet. The damaged B-47 jettisoned the nuclear weapon into Wassaw Sound off Tybee Island before making an emergency landing. Despite multiple search efforts, the 7,600-pound nuclear weapon has never been recovered and remains in the coastal waters.tandfonline

Additional "Broken Arrow" Incidents

Unexploded nuclear bombs still lie off American coasts, embedded in swamps, or down on the seabed. These include incidents where nuclear weapons were:tandfonline

• Lost overboard from aircraft carriers
• Dropped accidentally during transport operations
• Lost in aircraft crashes in remote areas
• Abandoned due to mechanical failures during flights

Many of these weapons contain weapons-grade uranium and plutonium that poses long-term environmental contamination risks.osti

Sunken Nuclear Submarines

Soviet/Russian Nuclear Submarine Accidents

K-278 Komsomolets (April 7, 1989)

The Soviet nuclear submarine K-278 Komsomolets sank in the Norwegian Sea at a depth of 1,680 meters following a fire in the engine compartment. The accident killed 42 of the 69 crew members. The submarine remains on the seabed with its nuclear reactor and two nuclear torpedoes intact. Studies have detected minor radioactive leakage from the reactor compartment, with plutonium and cesium contamination found in surrounding sediments.osti+1

K-27 (1968)

The Soviet nuclear submarine K-27 suffered a reactor accident in 1968. After attempts at repairs, it was deliberately sunk in the Kara Sea in 1982 at a depth of 30 meters. The submarine contains spent nuclear fuel and poses ongoing environmental risks to Arctic waters.tos+1

K-219 (October 3, 1986)

The Soviet nuclear submarine K-219 sank in the Atlantic Ocean following an explosion in a missile tube. The submarine sank to a depth of 5,500 meters with two nuclear reactors and several nuclear missiles aboard. While the reactor was shut down before sinking, the submarine represents a potential source of long-term radioactive contamination.tandfonline

Kursk (K-141) (August 12, 2000)

The Russian nuclear submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea following explosions that killed all 118 crew members. While the submarine was eventually raised for investigation, the incident highlighted the risks posed by nuclear submarines carrying both nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons.digitalcollection.zhaw

U.S. Nuclear Submarine Losses

USS Thresher (SSN-593) (April 10, 1963)

The USS Thresher was lost with all hands (129 personnel) during deep-diving tests in the Atlantic Ocean. The submarine broke apart at a depth of 2,560 meters. While the cause was likely flooding due to piping failure rather than nuclear accident, the nuclear reactor remains on the ocean floor.arxiv

USS Scorpion (SSN-589) (May 22, 1968)

The USS Scorpion was lost with all hands (99 personnel) in the Atlantic Ocean southwest of the Azores. The submarine sank to a depth of 3,048 meters. The exact cause remains disputed, but the nuclear reactor and potentially nuclear weapons remain on the seafloor. Some theories suggest the loss may have involved internal explosions or collision with large internal waves.arxiv

Deliberate Nuclear Waste Disposal at Sea

Soviet Arctic Dumping

The former Soviet Union conducted extensive dumping of nuclear waste in Arctic waters, including:

• 16 nuclear reactors from submarines and icebreakers dumped in the Kara Sea near Novaya Zemlya, with 6 containing spent nuclear fuelosti+1
• Liquid radioactive waste disposed of at multiple Arctic Ocean sitesosti
• Solid reactor components dumped in various Arctic locationsosti
• One complete nuclear submarine reactor compartment disposed of in Arctic watersosti

This dumping has created ongoing contamination risks for Arctic ecosystems and poses potential health threats to coastal populations in Alaska and other Arctic regions.tos+1

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs)

The Soviet Union lost a strontium-90 powered RTG in the Sea of Okhotsk, which represents an additional source of marine radioactive contamination. Multiple RTGs from navigation beacons and other installations have also been lost or abandoned in Arctic and Pacific waters.osti

Nuclear Reactor Accidents at Sea

K-19 "Widowmaker" (July 4, 1961)

The Soviet nuclear submarine K-19 suffered a primary cooling circuit rupture in its reactor during its first nuclear patrol. The crew conducted heroic emergency repairs to prevent a reactor meltdown, but eight crew members died from acute radiation syndrome and many others suffered radiation injuries. While the submarine didn't sink, it represents one of the most serious naval reactor accidents in history.tandfonline

K-431 Chazhma Bay Accident (August 10, 1985)

During refueling operations at Chazhma Bay naval facility, the Soviet nuclear submarine K-431 experienced a reactor criticality accident that resulted in a steam explosion. The accident contaminated the immediate area with radioactive materials and required extensive cleanup. Ten personnel were killed and 39 others received significant radiation doses.link.springer+3

Lenin Icebreaker (1965)

The Soviet nuclear icebreaker Lenin suffered a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) in one of its reactors. Damaged fuel and the entire reactor vessel were subsequently dumped at sea, along with a complete tri-reactor compartment from later refitting. This represents one of the largest deliberate disposals of nuclear reactor components in marine environments.mdpi

Environmental and Health Consequences

Long-term Contamination

• Plutonium from the Thule accident continues to contaminate Arctic marine ecosystems decades after the incidentjournals.lww+1
• Sunken nuclear submarines pose ongoing risks of reactor fuel corrosion and radioactive releaselink.springer
• Dumped nuclear reactors in Arctic waters represent long-term contamination sources that could affect marine food chainsosti

Monitoring and Assessment

Studies of contamination from these incidents show:

• Plutonium bioaccumulation in marine organisms near crash sitesjournals.lww+1
• Cesium and strontium contamination in sediments around sunken submarinesosti
• Potential for future increased radioactive releases as containment systems deteriorate over timelink.springer

Risk to Human Populations

• Alaskan coastal populations face potential exposure from Arctic nuclear wasteosti
• Spanish farmers and residents experienced plutonium contamination from Palomarespmc.ncbi.nlm.nih
• Naval personnel involved in cleanup operations received significant radiation dosespmc.ncbi.nlm.nih

Recovery and Remediation Efforts

Successful Recoveries

• Most nuclear weapons from major accidents have been successfully recoveredtandfonline
• Extensive cleanup operations removed contaminated materials from Palomares and Thulejournals.lww+1
• The Kursk submarine was raised and its nuclear fuel was safely removeddigitalcollection.zhaw

Ongoing Challenges

• Several nuclear weapons remain permanently lost in ocean depthstandfonline
• Sunken nuclear submarines in deep water are difficult or impossible to recoverarxiv+1
• Arctic nuclear waste poses long-term environmental monitoring challengestos+1

International Implications

These incidents highlight several critical issues:

• The inherent risks of transporting nuclear weapons and operating nuclear-powered vessels
• Environmental justice concerns as accidents often affect indigenous or marginalized populationsmdpi+1
• International cooperation challenges in monitoring and addressing transboundary contaminationosti
• Long-term stewardship responsibilities for contaminated sites and materialsfrontiersin

The legacy of lost nuclear materials and sunken nuclear vessels represents an ongoing environmental and security challenge that will require monitoring and management for decades or centuries to come. These incidents demonstrate the persistent nature of radioactive contamination and the complex technical challenges involved in managing nuclear accidents in marine environments.tandfonline+1

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