The U.S. Navy said in a statement that its nuclear submarine, the USS Connecticut, collided with an unknown object during routine operations in the South China Sea, but that no major damage was done.
The U.S. Navy said in a statement that the submarine was in stable condition and that no one had been killed in the crash, but that a dozen U.S. soldiers had suffered minor injuries.
A U.S. Navy spokesman said no one was injured in the crash and that the submarine was fully operational. The statement added that the damage caused by the accident was being analyzed and investigated.
Statement regarding #USSConnecticut (SSN 22):
The #USNavy Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine struck an object while submerged on Oct. 2, while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region. There are no life threatening injuries.
More: https://t.co/2ojR5arcd4 pic.twitter.com/VNSQI5XJet
– US Pacific Fleet (SPUSPacificFleet) October 7, 2021
It should be noted that the submarine was stationed in the South China Sea, where the US Navy had challenged China’s controversial claims on small islands.
The accident with the US nuclear submarine happened at a time when the US and its allies are conducting joint exercises in the South China Sea. The exercises are aimed at countering the threats posed by China’s growing military presence in the disputed area.
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