A Royal Navy sailor is under investigation on suspicion of stealing secrets from a nuclear submarine. Military police at the nuclear sub base HMNB Clyde, located at Faslane, Scotland, reportedly found confidential papers on the Huawei mobile phone of Marcus Gauntlett, a 36-year-old Able Seaman serving as a steward on a nuclear-armed Vanguard-class submarine.
The Vanguard-class submarines are the backbone of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, equipped with Trident 2 D5 missiles. The discovery of these classified documents has raised significant security concerns.
The confidential papers allegedly contained classified information about submarine movements. Sources indicate that the phone was seized during a separate investigation, and espionage has been ruled out as a motive.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson confirmed the investigation, stating, “We can confirm that a member of the Armed Forces is under investigation.
This incident adds to a series of recent security breaches within the Royal Navy. In March, a group of Royal Navy sailors was arrested on suspicion of stealing laptops and iPads from a duty-free shop on an American base in Bahrain. The sailors were allegedly using security alarm-proof bags to steal the items from the Main Navy Exchange store. The stolen goods were then reportedly sold at half their retail price.
The group, consisting of around seven servicemen, was detained in January by American armed military police, with some being marched off HMS Middleton in handcuffs following a joint investigation by the UK and US authorities.
A Royal Navy spokesperson commented on the Bahrain incident, saying, “We are aware of the alleged incident, which is currently under investigation.
As the investigation into Marcus Gauntlett continues, the Royal Navy and military police are working to ensure that all protocols and security measures are thoroughly reviewed and reinforced to prevent further breaches of sensitive information.
