Royal Netherlands Navy submarine seen on Bristol Channel

See the photos below as a submarine was seen off Penarth Pier.

A submarine off Penarth Pier (Image: Richie Paines)

The Royal Netherlands Navy’s sub was seen on the evening of Friday, June 16, stealthy making its way along the Bristol Channel past Penarth.

It was followed by support vessel the A900 – also operated by the Royal Navy.

The sub was followed by support vessel the A900 (Image: Newsquest)

The submarine was the HNLMS Zeeleeuw (S803), a Walrus-class submarine operated by the Royal Netherlands Navy, while the A900 is a submarine support and torpedo recovery ship for the Royal Netherlands Navy, launched in 1987.

Support boats round the submarine (Image: Richie Paines)

Mr Richie Paines caught the photos of the submarine, saying on Facebook: “It's not often you see a submarine sailing past Penarth Pier!”

The A900 in the distance, just passing Penarth Pier - how quick did you spot it? (Image: Newsquest)

A fleet of submarines named after sea mammals

Before you ask, there’s no nukes on board. The HNLMS Zeeleeuw will be armed with torpedos and mines.

The Walrus-class submarine is the only submarine class currently in operation in the Royal Netherlands Navy.

A Walrus-class submarine of the Royal Dutch Navy (Image: Wkipedia: Author, Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Marine)

The vessels have been in service since 1990 and are all named after sea mammals.

They are just over 220ft long, can reach a speed of 39kmph when submerged, and come in at a cool £200million a unit.

The submarines are propelled by a combination of diesel and electric power and can reach a depth of almost 1000ft.

Did you see the Dutch submarine on the channel recently? Send your photos to harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk and they might get online!