The Urgent Surfacing of an American Submarine Near Nuuk
On February 21, an American nuclear submarine unexpectedly surfaced a few kilometers off the harbor of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, followed by an air evacuation of a crew member in need of qualified medical care, which was provided to him at a local hospital.
In an atmosphere charged with tension following President Trump’s previous statements regarding Greenland, this routine episode of submarine operations in harsh Arctic waters received mixed media coverage and public reaction, particularly in Greenland.
This incident coincided with Trump’s tweet about dispatching an American military hospital ship to provide medical care to Greenlanders in need, a request the Greenlandic Prime Minister declined. Medical care was instead provided to an American sailor, who was flown by a Danish helicopter to a Greenlandic hospital.
This has created a very awkward situation, exacerbated by the fact that Trump promised to send a Mercy-class hospital ship, commissioned in 1986 and converted from a San Clemente-class supertanker (formerly the SS Worth), which has a draft of 10 meters and is unable to dock at Nuuk Harbor, which accepts vessels with a draft of no more than 9.5 meters. Other Greenlandic ports, some of which are covered in ice in winter, have similar depths.
It takes a vivid imagination to picture a hospital ship bobbing in the North Atlantic off Nuuk, with sick Greenlanders being delivered by boat or helicopter, and those recovered being brought back in the same manner.
It’s worth noting that the ailing American sailor was born under a lucky star, perhaps the North Star, because if this had happened under the ice cap of the North Pole, where the submarine was headed, he would likely have died without proper medical treatment. Let’s wish him a speedy recovery.
Greenlandic and Danish politicians might be advised not to look for a black cat in a dark room, especially if there is no cat.
Incidents Like This Are Rare but Not Unusual
Arctic Command confirmed that it conducted an emergency medical evacuation involving a crew member from a United States Navy submarine operating near Greenland.
The sailor required urgent medical treatment and was transferred to Greenlandic health authorities before being admitted to hospital in Nuuk.
At the time of the incident, the submarine was en route to an Ice Exercise (ICEX), part of the US Navy’s annual under-ice operations in the Arctic. These missions routinely see submarines transit beneath the polar ice cap, often moving between Atlantic and Pacific command areas. While submarines typically do not surface at the North Pole during winter, ICEX transits commonly follow a direct route north through the Davis Strait, passing close to Nuuk.
Officials familiar with submarine operations note that incidents like this are rare but not unusual. US Navy submarines carry highly trained medical personnel, generally at nurse practitioner or physician assistant level. However, when a medical emergency exceeds the onboard capability and is assessed as life-threatening, Submarine Force Atlantic coordinates an urgent evacuation. In this case, Nuuk was the nearest NATO location with available helicopter support and an ice-free harbor, prompting the submarine to divert east and surface fully off the port, a clear indication that the situation could not wait.
Similar evacuations have occurred elsewhere in the North Atlantic, including recently near the Faroe Islands. Beyond medical care, such port calls can also allow for limited resupply, crew transfers, and a brief opportunity for fresh air before the submarine resumes its mission.
Greenlandic Government Explains
The chairman of the Greenlandic government explained in an interview with KNR what was really going on in the spectacular submarine scene that took place on Saturday, February 21, seven nautical miles off Greenland’s capital Nuuk.
On Saturday afternoon, a large American submarine surfaced, most unusually, seven nautical miles off Nuuk. Arctic Command subsequently explained that the submarine had surfaced because one of the crew members was in urgent need of medical treatment.
The rescue operation was carried out with the Danish Defence Seahawk helicopter, which was deployed from the Inspection Ship Vædderen.
This subsequently caused both citizens and politicians to wonder. On Monday, Siumut sent an open letter with a number of questions to the Greenlandic Government.
Is the submarine in question alone, or are there several, and what does it contain, and for what purpose is it sailing off our coast?, the press release asked.
The Head of Government Did Not Have Reliable Information
KNR has previously interviewed the chairman of the Greenlandic Government, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, about the matter, which we were subsequently asked to withdraw before it was published. This is because, he now explains, he did not have the correct information at the time.
“I had misunderstood and misinterpreted the information I had received, and I am now correcting that. I will of course say the correct thing,” he said.
In an interview with KNR, Jens-Frederik Nielsen now explains what preceded the strange sight on Saturday.
He says that on February 20—that is, on Friday—the Americans requested to sail into Greenlandic waters, as a passenger on board the submarine was, as mentioned, seriously ill and needed help.
“This is a seriously ill person on board a submarine that is in our waters and close to our country. Therefore, we have an obligation to help. Within defense cooperation, we must remember that we are part of a community, and therefore we will of course fulfill our obligations and provide assistance,” he said.
Ministry of Defense Confirms
KNR has also reached out to the US Department of Defense. In response to a number of questions about the incident, an official from the US Department of Defense sent the following response to KNR:
“The US can confirm that a nuclear-powered submarine from the US Navy made a brief, unplanned stop in the waters off Nuuk to provide emergency medical care to a sailor with a non-combat-related illness. The sailor is receiving treatment in Nuuk. We do not have further information at this time.”
At the same time, KNR has reached out to the Arctic Command for comment. However, they write that they do not comment on the operational conditions of other nations.
No Reason to Worry
The submarine has received a lot of attention, especially in light of the US president’s continued interest in Greenland. Donald Trump has said several times that the US should take over Greenland.
But Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasizes that the submarine should not give rise to concern.
“The case is handled within the framework of defense cooperation, and our country is part of this cooperation, although there may be different perceptions of it. Perhaps other interpretations may arise in light of different statements, but we have close cooperation in the field of defense, and this has been going on for many years.”
When asked whether other submarines are sailing around Greenlandic waters, he answers:
“As far as we know, there are no other submarines in our waters. But I would like to emphasize again that submarines, regardless of which country they belong to, do not normally provide their position. The submarine in question is from the United States and is part of the defense cooperation, and regardless of where it is in the waters, it operates within the framework of the cooperation.”
Duty to Inform
At the same time, Jens-Frederik Nielsen acknowledges that the Greenlandic government should have been informed about the spectacular situation earlier.
“When something happens within the defense or in other areas, we naturally have a duty to inform, and we need to get even better at that,” he said.
Two days after the incident took place, the American president, Donald Trump, announced on his social media Truth Social that the United States will now send a hospital ship to Greenland.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen has subsequently come out and said no.
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