According to the U.S. Navy, a nuclear-powered submarine based in Bremerton, Washington collided with an underwater object in the South China Sea on Oct 2 injuring 11 sailors and leaving major damage to the hull of the submarine. 

The USS Connecticut (SSN-22) a Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine, collided with an unknown object while operating in international waters inside the South China Sea, resulting in 11 non-life-threatening injuries. The Navy has reported that while the crew is their main priority the submarine is in stable condition and the nuclear reactor that powers the vessel is unaffected by the collision. 

“The safety of the crew remains the Navy’s top priority,” the Navy said during an Oct 7 press release. “The submarine remains in a safe and stable condition. USS Connecticut’s nuclear propulsion plant and spaces were not affected and remain fully operational.”

The U.S. routinely conducts naval operations in the Indo-Pacific region through the deployment of both surface vessels and submarines like the USS Connecticut to monitor the expansion of the Chinese military in the area. With a high amount of both military and commercial traffic in the region, the Navy confirmed the USS Connecticut did not collide with another vessel. The Navy said the object the submarine collided with could have been a submerged shipping container or even a sunken ship.

The Navy later said in the press conference that “the extent of damage to the remainder of the submarine is being assessed.”

The Navy is yet to release any additional information about the extent of the damage to the submarine’s hull.

The USS Connecticut is currently at a naval base in the U.S. territory of Guam for a damage assessment after a week of sailing on the surface of the Pacific ocean. Guam houses a large military presence that controls 29% of the island according to the U.S. census.

The USS Connecticut is one of three Seawolf-class fast-attack submarines in operation with the U.S. Navy and is reported to cost approximately $5 billion dollars, making it one of the most expensive submarines in the world. The submarine has been homeported at Naval Base Kitsap for the last 10 years along with the other two vessels in the class.

Naval Base Kitsap is in the upper northwest corner of the state and is only 22 miles away from Skyline High School. It is the third-largest naval base in the United States. The base is home to 13 nuclear-powered submarines and two nuclear-powered Nimitz class aircraft carriers, in addition to many conventionally-powered ships. Over 20,000 sailors and civilian contractors call the base home.

This is the first such collision since 2005 when the USS San Francisco a Los Angeles-class submarine collided with an uncharted underwater mountain at full speed killing one and injuring 98 sailors. According to the Navy, the repairs to the USS San Francisco were estimated at $79 million and took over three years to complete.