US nuclear submarine collides with 'unknown object'

[Eldorado]

A US nuclear submarine hit an "unknown object" while submerged in waters in the Asia-Pacific region, injuring a number of sailors, US officials say.

It was not clear what caused the incident on Saturday, they said. The submarine remained "fully operational".

Unnamed officials told US media the collision happened in international waters in the South China Sea, and that 11 sailors had been injured.

--

USNI News, a site specialised in the US Navy, said the last known incident where a submerged US submarine struck another underwater object was in 2005, when the USS San Francisco hit an underwater mountain at full speed near Guam. One sailor died in the incident.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58838332

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

[Buzz_Light_Year]

https://americanmilitarynews.com/2021/07/china-has-secret-underwater-drone-to-attack-enemy-submarines-report-says/

Quote

 

The South China Morning Post reported the unmanned underwater drones could also be pre-positioned along the ocean floor, lying in wait and activating in the event of a military conflict.

Liang wrote that China has continued to advance its unmanned underwater drone technology in the years since the 2010 test, including improved sonar systems and improved artificial intelligence and communications systems that could allow multiple underwater drones to coordinate as a fleet to attack the same target from different directions. Liang also wrote that an improved power supply for the drones could also allow them to wait for longer periods of time before they are activated to attack enemy vessels.

 

 

[Ell]

They presumably hit Bigfoot, which was going for a swim.

 

... or a mountain, maybe.

[+OverSword]

Quote

 

A U.S. nuclear submarine sustained damage and some crew members were injured when it "struck an object" while operating at depth a week ago in one of the most sensitive bodies of water on the planet, the South China Sea. The U.S. Navy confirmed in a statement on Thursday that the USS Connecticut, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, struck the unidentified object on October 2, "while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region."

U.S. defense officials told CBS News correspondent David Martin the collision occurred in the South China Sea, one of two adjoining bodies of water where the U.S. and its allies have repeatedly challenged China's territorial claims. China on Friday demanded more information on the U.S. Navy accident that took place somewhere off its east coast.

 

Link

I wonder what it ran into and why that upsets China?  

Edited October 8, 2021 by OverSword

[Jon the frog]

46 minutes ago, OverSword said:

Link

I wonder what it ran into and why that upsets China?  

When you cannot drive properly, you don't go trying to do donuts at the neighbours front yard and risking to damage their property...probably that they will call you stupid and dangerous.

More or less the same there.

Edited October 8, 2021 by Jon the frog

[+OverSword]

3 minutes ago, Jon the frog said:

Well when you cannot drive properly... you don't go trying to do donuts at the neighbours front door risking to damage their property...probably that they will call you stupid and dangerous.

More or less the same there.

Part of your post seems to make some kind of sense.  

[HSlim]

11 minutes ago, OverSword said:

Link

I wonder what it ran into and why that upsets China?  

I'm thinking possibly because China has been trying to claim the international waters of the South China Sea as their territory.  As for what they collided with, not the slightest clue.  Very possible it was a Chinese sub. 

[DarkHunter]

Been hearing different theories recently, everything from the submarine hitting the ground under water from bad or outdated naval floor maps.  That area is decently geographically active so not impossible there was a tectonic change recently that altered the terrain under water.

But also heard some other speculation that either accidentally or intentionally the submarine hit/rammed a Chinese underwater drone or a Chiness submarine.  It wouldnt be the first time there had been accidental or purposeful collisions with a submarine.

Once the submarine makes it to port and pics off the damage inevitably make it online there will be a much better idea of what happened.

[Jon the frog]

10 minutes ago, HSlim said:

I'm thinking possibly because China has been trying to claim the international waters of the South China Sea as their territory.  As for what they collided with, not the slightest clue.  Very possible it was a Chinese sub. 

The number of collision of US warship is high... they have leadership and crew problems in the US Navy and it's known. It's not the first time and it will end with a disaster at this rate.

https://features.propublica.org/navy-accidents/us-navy-crashes-japan-cause-mccain/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/us/navy-collisions-history-mccain-fitzgerald.html

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a24158/uss-san-francisco-mountain-incident/

Edited October 8, 2021 by Jon the frog

[+and-then]

The one certainty is that this sub driver's career is OVAH.  Just as with surface ships, a collision ends the career of a captain.  

[L.A.T.1961]

New video said to be of incident  The Chinese look a bit off colour. 

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

3 hours ago, OverSword said:

My bad, but after looking over the original thread I think this one has better comments so far.

Certsinly more mature ones, whomsoever posted that “Underwater Menace” picture is an idiot.

[SHaYap]

Let's hope everyone dodges another magic bullet like this one eh? 

Quote

The nuclear-powered Project 949A Antey submarine Kursk sank in an accident on 12 August 2000 in the Barents Sea, during the first major Russian naval exercise in more than ten years, and all 118 personnel on board were killed. Wikipedia

 

Date: August 12, 2000

Deaths: 118 (all)

Outcome: Loss of the boat, crew, headquarters personnel

~

 

[Tatetopa]

11 hours ago, and then said:

The one certainty is that this sub driver's career is OVAH.  Just as with surface ships, a collision ends the career of a captain.  

Maybe if its not in your orders.  How slow can a sub go and head butt another sub to play gotcha?  If its done with no serious damage to the sub and only two crew hurt in the US sub, that pretty astute piloting.  Maybe it is a message.  May not be true but it would make a great movie.

[tortugabob]

Probably a sea container that was slowly losing air and on the way to the bottom. Neutral buoyancy is what I think they call it.

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by tortugabob

[Autochthon1990]

"Aww hell, we whanged Bin Laden, someone get the squeegee!" 

[SD455GTO]

What is o v a h ? (I don't search things).

[MissJatti]

It was Nessie on Vacation 

[qxcontinuum]

I am sure the rock was solid and steady, unheard of...

[+susieice]

The sub is now in port in Guam. There were 11 crewmen with injuries, none serious.

https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2021/10/08/damaged-us-sub-in-port-after-undersea-collision-in-south-china-sea/

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/10/08/damaged-us-sub-port-after-collision-south-china-sea.html

When it disclosed the Oct. 2 accident on Thursday, U.S. Pacific Fleet said that there had been no damage to the sub's nuclear propulsion system and that it had not yet determined what underwater object had been struck. It did not say where the collision happened, but other officials said it was in the South China Sea.

China claims total sovereignty over the South China Sea, a stance that is not accepted by the United States and its allies. China protests the presence of the U.S. Navy in the area. The South China Sea is among many points of growing contention between Washington and Beijing, including the status of Taiwan, the island that China claims as its own.

[+OverSword]

On 10/10/2021 at 3:09 AM, SD455GTO said:

What is o v a h ? (I don't search things).

Over 

[aztek]

there is so much junk and garbage down there, it is no surprising they collided with some of it,  ships sink, shipping containers fall overboard and sink, garbage of all sizes and origins is dumped there too,  and currents spread it all over the ocean floor.  

[Jon the frog]

It was a mountain... captain was fired for incompetence...

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59175396

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by Jon the frog

[Eldorado]

The US Navy on Thursday fired three senior officers who were aboard a nuclear-powered attack submarine last month when it was damaged after crashing into an underwater mountain in the South China Sea.

MSN