China’s newest nuclear submarine sank during construction earlier this year, a senior US defense official said.
Satellite images from June show cranes at the Wuchang shipyard where the Zhou-class attack submarine is supposed to be docked.
These images show that she probably sank between May and June, the official said.
China has not confirmed the current status of the submarine.
The sinking of the submarine was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Reports of the submarine sinking during construction could be a potential setback for China as it continues to expand its naval capabilities.
– We are not familiar with the situation you mentioned and we currently have no information to provide – said the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Washington.
A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was “not surprising” that the Chinese navy had covered up the sinking of the submarine.
“In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense industry — which has long been plagued by corruption,” said the official, who used an acronym for the People’s Liberation Army.
