i 3 DECLASSHHED 3 CONFIDENTIAL EVENING READING ITEM FOR THE PRESIDENT - October 27 1979 South African Statement on Reported Nuclear Event We were called by the South African Embassy shortly before noon today and informed of an official statement on the reported event which noted that the South African Navy was instructed to begin an investigation of the possibility that the alleged nuclear event monitored by the U S may have been caused by an accident aboard a Soviet or other nuclear submarine on station in the area The statement went on to note surprise that no news reports had focused on this possibility and concluded it is a matter of common know ledge that there was during the period of September for instance a Soviet Echo II class nuclear submarine in the vicinity of the strategic passage around the Cape An accident aboard a submarine was one of the first possibilities that occurred to the intelligence community after the signal was received it was concluded that the signal observed was not consistent with a reactor accident aboard a nuclear vessel We cannot rule out quite as categori cally an accidental explosion of a nuclear warhead aboard a vessel but we still consider this most unlikely Moreover such an explosion would destroy the vessel involved and we know of none that is missing cos 10 27 85 DECLASSIFIED Ema QONFIDENTIAL ti -2- After consultation with the Defense Department and the intelligence community we believe that no nuclear submarine of any nation was in the area at the time of the recorded event on September 22 Clearances AF WCHarroph4 1 a4 INR WBowdle f i i CONFIDENTIAL