Picture of the USS Connecticut leaving a port in 2018.
Officials from the United States claim that a US nuclear submarine struck an "unknown object" while submerged under water in the Asia-Pacific. This inflicted injuries on a number of sailors.
They said that it was unclear what caused Saturday's incident. The submarine was "fully operational".
According to unnamed officials, the collision occurred in international waters in South China Sea. 11 sailors were injured.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions within the region.
According to the US Navy, the extent of damage was still being determined and that the submarine's nuclear propulsion system and space were not affected.
The statement didn't give any details on the location of the incident or the number injured, but stated that they were not life-threatening injuries.
Two officials from the Associated Press claimed that two of the 11 sailors who were injured sustained injuries that were "moderate". All were taken to the submarine for treatment.
According to these officials, the incident occurred while the submarine was performing routine operations. The Navy didn't make the news public until Thursday in order maintain operational security.
According to AP officials, the object that the USS Connecticut collided was not another submarine. According to AP, one of the sources said that it could have been either a container or sunken vessel, or some other uncharted object.
Later, it was reported that the submarine was heading towards Guam, a US territory.
USNI News, an online news site that specializes in the US Navy, stated that the last time a US submarine had struck another object underwater was 2005 when the USS San Francisco crashed into an underwater mountain near Guam. The incident resulted in the death of one sailor.
Why is the South China Sea so contentious
The USS Connecticut operated in one of the most litigated regions in the world. China claims the majority of the South China Sea. However, the US and other countries around it disagree.
Continue the story
For decades, the Philippines, Brunei Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam all disputed China's claim on almost all of the Sea. However, tension has steadily increased over recent years.
Many of these countries have been supported by the US in their territorial dispute.
This incident occurs just weeks after Australia, the UK, and the US signed a historic security agreement in the Asia-Pacific. It was seen as an attempt to counter China.
Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, stated to the BBC that he was "deeply worried" about the actions of the Taiwan Strait, which divides Taiwan from China.
After China had sent an unprecedented number of military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense zone, he was speaking in his fourth consecutive day.
