Off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean, the DSV Alvin submarine finds a missing American hydrogen bomb.

The vast, mysterious depths of our oceans hold countless secrets, and for decades, one remarkable vessel has been at the forefront of uncovering them: the Alvin submersible. This storied deep-ocean research vehicle, proudly owned by the United States Navy and operated by the renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, has redefined our understanding of marine science and exploration.

Commissioned on June 5, 1964, the Alvin owes its existence and name to Allyn Vine, the visionary who served as its prime mover and creative inspiration. Interestingly, its construction was undertaken not by a traditional shipbuilding firm, but by the Electronics Group of General Mills in Minneapolis, Minnesota, showcasing an era of diverse industrial innovation. This groundbreaking submersible isn't a lone explorer; it embarks on its deep-sea missions from its dedicated support vessel, the RV Atlantis (AGOR-25), which is also owned by the U.S. Navy and expertly operated by WHOI, forming a seamless and highly capable team for scientific endeavors.

With a legacy spanning over five decades, the Alvin submersible has completed more than 5,000 dives, a testament to its enduring reliability and critical role in oceanography. Each dive carries a small but dedicated crew: two intrepid scientists and a skilled pilot. Their missions range from observing bizarre and resilient lifeforms that thrive under the immense pressures and in total darkness of the abyssal plains, to exploring historical wonders like the haunting wreck of the Titanic, which it famously visited in the 1980s. The profound impact of the research conducted by Alvin is undeniable, having contributed to nearly 2,000 scientific papers, fundamentally advancing our knowledge of the deep ocean's ecosystems, geology, and history.

The Palomares Incident: A Cold War Crisis Under the Spanish Sun

While the ocean's depths offer wonders, they also, at times, become the silent witnesses to human crises. One such event, the 1966 Palomares B-52 crash, also known simply as the Palomares incident, cast a long shadow during the tense years of the Cold War. On January 17, 1966, an ordinary mid-air refueling operation over the Mediterranean Sea, off the picturesque coast of Spain, turned catastrophic. A B-52G bomber from the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command, flying at 31,000 feet (9,450 m), collided with its KC-135 tanker aircraft.

The immediate aftermath was devastating. The KC-135, its fuel load igniting in a fiery explosion, was completely destroyed, claiming the lives of all four crew members aboard. The B-52G also broke apart, leading to the tragic loss of three of its seven crew members. However, the true gravity of the situation lay in the B-52G's sensitive cargo: four B28FI Mod 2 Y1 thermonuclear (hydrogen) bombs. All four of these powerful nuclear weapons plummeted towards the earth and sea below.

The search and recovery operation became an international priority. Three of the bombs were eventually located on land near the small fishing village of Palomares, nestled in the municipality of Cuevas del Almanzora, Almería, Spain. Upon impact, the non-nuclear explosive components in two of these weapons detonated. While this did not trigger a nuclear explosion, it resulted in the unfortunate contamination of a significant 0.77-square-mile (2 km2) area with radioactive plutonium, necessitating a massive and complex cleanup effort. The fourth bomb, however, presented a different challenge, having fallen into the vast expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. An intensive search operation, involving considerable resources and lasting two and a half months, ultimately succeeded in recovering this final bomb intact from the seabed, averting a potentially far more serious environmental and political crisis.

Frequently Asked Questions About Deep-Sea Exploration and Historical Incidents

What is the Alvin submersible?
The Alvin submersible is a renowned crewed deep-ocean research vessel owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), famous for its extensive exploration of the deep sea.
When was Alvin commissioned and who built it?
Alvin was commissioned on June 5, 1964. It was built by General Mills' Electronics Group in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and named in honor of Allyn Vine, its creative inspiration.
How many dives has Alvin completed and what are its key missions?
The Alvin submersible has completed over 5,000 dives, carrying two scientists and a pilot. Its key missions include observing deep-sea lifeforms that thrive under extreme conditions and famously exploring the wreck of the Titanic.
What is the RV Atlantis?
The RV Atlantis (AGOR-25) is the deep submergence support vessel from which the Alvin submersible is launched. It is also owned by the U.S. Navy and operated by WHOI.
What was the Palomares B-52 crash?
The Palomares B-52 crash, or Palomares incident, was a serious accident on January 17, 1966, where a U.S. Air Force B-52G bomber carrying four thermonuclear bombs collided with a tanker during mid-air refueling off the coast of Spain.
What happened to the bombs after the Palomares incident?
Three of the four thermonuclear bombs from the Palomares incident fell on land in Spain; two had their conventional explosives detonate, causing radioactive plutonium contamination. The fourth bomb fell into the Mediterranean Sea and was recovered intact after a two-and-a-half-month search.
What was the impact of the radioactive contamination from Palomares?
The detonation of conventional explosives in two bombs near Palomares led to the contamination of a 0.77-square-mile (2 km2) area with radioactive plutonium, requiring extensive cleanup and public health measures.