Navy sailors injured after submarine strikes object in South China Sea
Navy officials could not confirm what type of object the vessel came in contact with
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Multiple sailors were injured when a deployed Naval submarine "struck an object" in the Indo-Pacific region.
The vessel, the USS Connecticut, made contact with the object while it was submerged Tuesday, causing several non-life-threatening injuries to the crew onboard. The submarine was operating in the South China Sea, Fox News has learned, and is now on the way to Guam and expected to arrive Thursday, according to the Navy.
Navy officials could not confirm what type of object the vessel came in contact with, though one official, who spoke to the Navy Times and requested anonymity, said the area's topography did not indicate a landmass in the boat's path.
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The official also said that there is no evidence the incident was due to any hostile interaction or a collision with another submarine. But the official also cautioned that the incident is still under investigation, saying all information was preliminary at the moment.
Two crew members suffered moderate injuries but did not require evacuation, while the official could not give a total number of sailors hurt but did describe their injuries as "bumps, bruises, and lacerations."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The U.S. Naval Institute News, which first reported the collision, stated that 11 sailors were injured in the incident.
"The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition," the Navy said in a statement. "USS Connecticut’s nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain fully operational."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The sub initially left Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Washington for the deployment in May.
The incident is being investigated by U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Naval Safety Center.