A senior official from the United States Department of Defense disclosed on Thursday that a nuclear submarine under construction in China met with a tragic end earlier this year, sinking during its construction phase.
Satellite imagery from June of that year captured the presence of cranes at the Wuchang shipyard, where the submarine, designated as a Zhou-class attack submarine, was scheduled to be docked.
These images suggest that the submarine may have submerged between the months of May and June, according to the official.
The precise condition of the submarine remains undisclosed by the Chinese authorities.
The initial report of the incident was made by the Wall Street Journal.
China has maintained its silence on the matter, stating that it possesses no information to disclose.
The occurrence of a submarine's sinking during its construction phase could potentially pose a significant challenge to China's efforts to enhance its naval capabilities.
"We are not acquainted with the circumstances you have described and at present, we have no information to share," a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington was quoted as saying.
The official from the United States, who chose to remain anonymous, remarked that the incident was not unexpected, given the complex issues it brings to light.
"Beyond the immediate concerns regarding the standards of training and the quality of equipment, the incident also highlights broader issues concerning the People's Liberation Army's internal accountability and the oversight of China's defense industry, which has historically been marred by corruption," the official stated, referring to the acronym for the People's Liberation Army.
