UK Sailors Dismissed After Testing Positive For Drugs

London: Nine British servicemen have been thrown off a nuclear submarine after testing positive for drugs, the Ministry of Defence announced.

The servicemen were dismissed from duty from HMS Vigilant -- which carries the Trident nuclear deterrent, reports the BBC. The Royal Navy said it did not tolerate drugs misuse, adding: "Those found to have fallen short of our high standards face being discharged from service." Earlier this month, the submarine's captain was relieved of his command after an alleged "inappropriate relationship" with a member of his crew.

The Royal Navy said at the time that an investigation was ongoing and operations were not impacted. HMS Vigilant is one of Britain's four Vanguard-class submarines which carry up to eight Trident missiles armed with nuclear warheads. — (IANS)