55 Chinese sailors feared dead in nuclear submarine accident in Yellow Sea, says report

Fifty-five Chinese sailors are believed to have lost their lives when their nuclear submarine became ensnared in a trap designed to target British sub-surface vessels in the Yellow Sea. According to a confidential report from the UK, the crew members perished due to a catastrophic failure of the submarine’s oxygen systems, leading to the poisoning of the entire crew. Among the casualties were the captain of the Chinese PLA Navy submarine ‘093-417’ and 21 other officers. A classified briefing obtained by the Mail reads: “Intelligence reports that on 21st of August, there was an on-board accident while carrying out a mission in the Yellow Sea. The submarine struck a chain and anchor obstacle used by the Chinese Navy to trap US and allied submarines, leading to system failures and a six-hour struggle to surface. The onboard oxygen system failed catastrophically, poisoning the crew. There is no independent confirmation of the incident yet. China dismisses open-source speculation, and Taiwan also denies these reports. The UK report, classified at a high level and based on defence intelligence, remains undisclosed. A British submariner suggests that the scenario is plausible, speculating that if the submarine was trapped and its batteries depleted, air purifiers and treatment systems could have failed, leading to asphyxia or poisoning. The British Navy has the technology to absorb CO2 and generate oxygen in such situations, which may not be available to other nations. The Chinese Type 093 submarines, which have been in service for the past 15 years, are 351 feet long and equipped with torpedoes. Known for their lower noise levels, one of these submarines is believed to have sunk in waters off China’s Shandong Province.