French submarine Émeraude (S604)

The Émeraude is a nuclear submarine from the first-generation of attack submarines by the French Navy.

She is the fourth of the Rubis series. Between May 1994 and December 1995, she undertook a major refitting which upgraded her to the level of the Améthyste.

On 30 March 1994, an accidental explosion occurred in the engine compartment while the boat was engaged in an anti-submarine exercise, killing ten men who were examining the turbo-alternator room.

In June 2009, the Émeraude was sent to the mid Atlantic to aid in the search for the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the ill-fated Air France Flight 447.

Notes and references

 * Sous-marin nucléaire d'attaque Emeraude netmarine.net