The World - News from March 26, 1987

A hunt was launched for foreign submarines after a ship involved in Atlantic Alliance military exercises off northern Norway detected sonar signals. Maj. Gunnar Mjell, of the Northern Norway Defense Command, said, “A Norwegian vessel made contact with an unidentified number of submarines Monday night, the sonar contact lasted for just a few minutes and several vessels are now searching.” He said five ships and a Norwegian coast guard vessel are searching the area in the Asta Fjord, near the town of Harstad. Norwegian defense sources said the Soviet Union has often been suspected of sending submarines into Norwegian waters to observe exercises.