The launching of the Oops-missile

On September 6th 1982 an officer from the Naval Material Command routinely checked the Frigate's HARPOON system. An unplanned incident at 11.22 resulted in a HARPOON anti-ship missile being launched in southern Kattegat from Peder Skram. The missile flew for 34 km at a height of 5 m. on course 123, before it 10 minutes later detonated into some trees in a summer cottage area at Lumsås, Sjællands Odde. The explosion annihilated four cottages and more or less damaged another 130. No persons were injured.

The missile flew five meters 34 km on course 123 before, at 11:32, it detonated against some trees in a residential area in Lumsås, Sjællands Odde.

A commission established on October 11th 1982 on June 7th 1983 concluded that "the officer in question acted in contradiction to the instructions… (and that) the officer's negligence to observe the indications at the control panel was irresponsible". However, the commission found it reasonable to declare it a weakness of the design of the HARPOON system that an unintended launching could take place.

At the explosion four cottages were totally damaged and 130 others damaged to a greater or lesser extent.

A new commission established on July 9th 1984 found no reason to press charges against others. The officer was sentenced to a "correction" - a so-called "nose" - and the compensation paid by the Navy was later refunded by the US producer of the HARPOON system.