File photo of USS Connecticut Photo: AFP

Chinese experts urged the US to reveal truth about the nuclear submarine collision and respond to the concerns of the international community, after the US Navy on Thursday fired three senior officers onboard the USS Connecticut , the submarine that allegedly struck a seamount in the South China Sea in October. 

In a latest statement, the US 7th Fleet said that "determined sound judgment, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident." 

On October 2, the Seawolf-class nuclear-powered attack sub USS Connecticut collided with an "undersea mountain, resulting in 11 crew members being injured. Forbes said the crash has put the submarine "out of service." 

The boat is currently in Guam undergoing initial repairs overseen by Naval Sea Systems Command, US media reported. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed grave concern repeatedly over the incident and urged the US to adopt a responsible attitude, offer a detailed explanation, and provide a satisfactory answer to the international community and regional countries.

The Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said, however, that the US has not communicated with China about the USS Connecticut incident.  

The statement released by the US military has exposed many self-contradictions and is gradually confirming some of the assumptions made by the international community, Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the Naval Research Academy of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told the Global Times on Friday.

According to public reports, the collision was very serious, which appeared to have left the vessel requiring extensive and costly repair and maintenance, rather than what the US military initially said "not serious," Zhang said. 

In 2005, the Los Angeles-class submarine USS San Francisco collided with an undersea mountain, which resulted in 99 crew members injured or killed. As a result, the USS San Francisco was decommissioned ahead of schedule, and some are speculating that the USS Connecticut could face the same fate. 

What really happened in US unclear submarine's mysterious collsion in South China Sea?

What the international community is more concerned about is the risk of nuclear leakage, which could permanently damage the South China Sea's marine environment, affecting fishing production and navigation safety. 

On October 26, the Global Times launched a joint petition online, urging the US military and the US government to take a responsible attitude and disclose the truth about the nuclear submarine incident. As of press time, more than 332,000 net users have signed the petition, and the number is increasing.

"Is it possible that the US already knows about the nuclear leakage? This affects the common interests of the international community and the US should not cover it up any more," Zhang said, when asked about the US military sending a WC-135W nuclear material reconnaissance aircraft to the South China Sea. 

Zhang noted that the US Navy statement shows that the submarine commander made hasty decisions and misjudged, and it is likely that the submarine went to the place it should not have been and carried out a clandestine mission. Besides, submarine officers' overconfidence, carelessness and negligent observation resulted in the collision.  

Previously in 2017, the USS John S. McCain destroyer collided with a chemical tanker in the South China Sea, leading to 10 deaths. In 2017, the USS Fitzgerald destroyer collided with a container ship near Japan, resulting in seven deaths and several injuries.

Zhang said that US military's "toothpaste like, one squeeze at a time" revelation on the nuclear submarine crash cannot hide the truth.  

"The US military has not disclosed the location of the collision, the mission of the nuclear submarine, or whether nuclear leakage occurred. The US military should respond to the concerns of the international community as soon as possible," Zhang said.   

File photo of USS Connecticut Photo: AFP

Chinese experts urged the US to reveal truth about the nuclear submarine collision and respond to the concerns of the international community, after the US Navy on Thursday fired three senior officers onboard the USS Connecticut , the submarine that allegedly struck a seamount in the South China Sea in October. 

In a latest statement, the US 7th Fleet said that "determined sound judgment, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident." 

On October 2, the Seawolf-class nuclear-powered attack sub USS Connecticut collided with an "undersea mountain, resulting in 11 crew members being injured. Forbes said the crash has put the submarine "out of service." 

The boat is currently in Guam undergoing initial repairs overseen by Naval Sea Systems Command, US media reported. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry has expressed grave concern repeatedly over the incident and urged the US to adopt a responsible attitude, offer a detailed explanation, and provide a satisfactory answer to the international community and regional countries.

The Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said, however, that the US has not communicated with China about the USS Connecticut incident.  

The statement released by the US military has exposed many self-contradictions and is gradually confirming some of the assumptions made by the international community, Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the Naval Research Academy of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), told the Global Times on Friday.

According to public reports, the collision was very serious, which appeared to have left the vessel requiring extensive and costly repair and maintenance, rather than what the US military initially said "not serious," Zhang said. 

In 2005, the Los Angeles-class submarine USS San Francisco collided with an undersea mountain, which resulted in 99 crew members injured or killed. As a result, the USS San Francisco was decommissioned ahead of schedule, and some are speculating that the USS Connecticut could face the same fate. 

What really happened in US unclear submarine's mysterious collsion in South China Sea?

What the international community is more concerned about is the risk of nuclear leakage, which could permanently damage the South China Sea's marine environment, affecting fishing production and navigation safety. 

On October 26, the Global Times launched a joint petition online, urging the US military and the US government to take a responsible attitude and disclose the truth about the nuclear submarine incident. As of press time, more than 332,000 net users have signed the petition, and the number is increasing.

"Is it possible that the US already knows about the nuclear leakage? This affects the common interests of the international community and the US should not cover it up any more," Zhang said, when asked about the US military sending a WC-135W nuclear material reconnaissance aircraft to the South China Sea. 

Zhang noted that the US Navy statement shows that the submarine commander made hasty decisions and misjudged, and it is likely that the submarine went to the place it should not have been and carried out a clandestine mission. Besides, submarine officers' overconfidence, carelessness and negligent observation resulted in the collision.  

Previously in 2017, the USS John S. McCain destroyer collided with a chemical tanker in the South China Sea, leading to 10 deaths. In 2017, the USS Fitzgerald destroyer collided with a container ship near Japan, resulting in seven deaths and several injuries.

Zhang said that US military's "toothpaste like, one squeeze at a time" revelation on the nuclear submarine crash cannot hide the truth.  

"The US military has not disclosed the location of the collision, the mission of the nuclear submarine, or whether nuclear leakage occurred. The US military should respond to the concerns of the international community as soon as possible," Zhang said.