US submarine collides with 'unknown object' in South China Sea
Fifteen sailors had minor injuries when the USS Connecticut collided with the object on Saturday, US officials said
A US nuclear submarine hit an "unknown object" while submerged in waters around the South China Sea, leaved more than a dozen US sailors injured.
Fifteen sailors had minor injuries when the USS Connecticut collided with the object on Saturday, US officials said, reports BBC.
They added that it was unclear what had caused the collision.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The incident comes as tensions mount in the highly-disputed region over a recent uptick of Chinese incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone.
"The submarine is now headed towards the US territory of Guam." a US Navy spokesperson said.
"USS Connecticut's nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain fully operational," a Navy spokesperson said in a statement, who added that the extent of damage to the submarine was still being assessed.
The USS Connecticut was operating in one of the most contested regions in the world.
China claims most of the South China Sea, but surrounding countries and the US disagree.
The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have all been disputing China's claim to almost all of the Sea for decades but tension steadily increased in recent years.
The US has backed many of these countries in this territorial dispute.
