The U.S. Navy announced Thursday that it has released three officers who were captain of a nuclear submarine damaged in a collision in the Chinese Sea last month. Admiral Carl Thomas, commander of the Seventh Fleet, has released Captain Cameron Gillani, commander of the nuclear-powered submarine “USS Connecticut” from the “Sea Wolf” class.
Thomas said “common sense, respect for prudent decisions and procedures will allow the accident to be avoided,” stressing that the three submarine commanders “lost the confidence of the U.S. Navy.” The submarine collided with an unidentified object on the second of last October while in the depths of the South China Sea. Eleven sailors were injured in the accident. The collision with a “mountain” under water unknown on the maps was proven during the investigation.
The submarine was forced to return to the surface of the water, was able to go to sea, and was able to reach the island of Guam, an American landmass in the Pacific Ocean.
The Navy indicated that the submarine was still in Guam and would return to its original port in Bremerton, Washington (northwest of the United States) for repairs.
The U.S. Navy has not released details of the crash site or the depth to which the submarine went.
China claims ownership of the entire South China Sea and has established military bases on small islands, while the United States and its allies continue to patrol the region’s international seas, asserting their right to navigate. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenpin said his country’s authorities were urging the U.S. to release a report on the “Connecticut” nuclear submarine incident. Commenting on the results of the investigation into the incident, the diplomat demanded that the United States stop provoking in the South China Sea. He added: “We urge the United States to report all details of the incident, as well as the concerns of countries in the region. Provocations must stop, and the undermining of the sovereignty and security of other nations must stop.
On the other hand, the landing of five U.S. military helicopters carrying soldiers in the Dominican Republic sparked controversy in the country, but officials said Thursday that it was a “routine” operation. The case has sparked controversy on social media, especially over video clips of helicopters flying ashore and speculation of a possible US intervention in Haiti after the abduction of American missionaries and their relatives. But the Dominican Defense Ministry said in a statement that the helicopters had “made technical stops to refuel and rest their personnel in routine routes for long-haul flights.” The Ministry of Defense confirmed in its statement that “the helicopters took off on Thursday morning (Dominican) according to their planned course”. (Agencies)
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