KITTERY (AP) – A memorial service marking the 45th anniversary of the sinking of the nuclear submarine USS Thresher drew about 300 people to Traip Academy in Kittery.

The ceremony is an annual remembrance of the 129 crew members and civilians who perished when the Thresher went down on April 10, 1963, during sea trials from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

The submarine ran into trouble and radioed that it was trying to resurface. It never did, sinking to the bottom of the Atlantic, crushed by the enormous pressure.

The Navy later concluded that a leak had developed in the engine room, letting in water that likely short-circuited electrical equipment. The accident helped trigger a submarine safety program to correct design and construction problems.

Those attending the ceremony Saturday included about 180 relatives of the victims and former crew members who were not aboard at the time.

—

Information from: Portland Press Herald, https://www.pressherald.com

AP-ES-04-12-08 1540EDT