Paris - French Defence Minister Herve Morin said on Tuesday the collision of French and British nuclear submarines earlier this month in the Atlantic Ocean was a "stroke of circumstance" and not a matter of bilateral gamesmanship.

"There is no (hidden) story in this affair. The British do not hunt French submarines, and French submarines do not hunt British submarines," Morin told Canal Plus television.

The nuclear-powered British HMS Vanguard and France's Le Triomphant, each of which carries 16 nuclear-armed ballistic missiles, collided in early February while on separate missions, the French Defence Ministry said.

But the incident was only officially confirmed on Monday, after it was first revealed by the British daily The Sun.

According to Morin, the mid-Atlantic collision was a a "stroke of extraordinary circumstance" that was attributable to the ultra-modern anti-detection equipment both boats carry.

"We are faced with an extremely simple technological problem, which is that the submarines are undetectable. They make less noise than a shrimp," he said.

British experts said that it was highly likely that the sonar systems on both boats were turned off, to avoid their being detected.

Nuclear expert John Large told Channel 4 that the damage to Le Triomphant suggested that the British sub passed over its topside.

None of the more than 225 crew members aboard both boats were injured and the vessels were only slightly damaged in the accident. (dpa)