The Ministry of National Defense yesterday confirmed a Japanese newspaper report that a Chinese submarine had broken down while sailing near the Pratas (Tungsha) Islands.
The Yomiuri Shimbun daily reported that a Chinese Type 035 Ming-class submarine had to surface and was guarded by four Chinese navy vessels.
The submarine was soon towed back to its base in Hainan Province by a fifth Chinese vessel.
The location of the incident is noteworthy because Taiwan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines and other countries have overlapping territorial claims in the area.
The Yomiuri Shimbun quoted anonymous sources from the Japanese and US militaries and said that the submarine might have caught fire.
However, the sources said it was difficult to establish the type and extent of damage from the submarine's appearance when it surfaced.
The number of injuries onboard the diesel-engine submarine, if any, remains unknown.
However, it was suggested that the submarine would not have had the potential to seriously pollute the area because it was not a nuclear-powered vessel.
The Japanese and US military sources were quoted as saying that, owing to the presence of other Chinese navy vessels in the same area, a military exercise was probably being carried out when the malfunction occurred.
"Everything is under control," ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Liou Chih-chien (劉志堅) said. "We were well-informed of the developments in regard to this incident."
"The incident took place at a location far away from Taiwan," he added.
According to Liou, the Ming-class submarines are the dominant submarines in the Chinese navy today. These submarines, at an average age of 30 years, were the first group of Chinese indigenous submarines.
Previously, 20 of the submarines were in service.
In May 2003, the SS-361 was involved in an accident during a military exercise.
Its 70 crew members, including trainees and regular sailors, died in the incident, but the Chinese military has never revealed the cause.
Each Ming-class submarine carries 57 sailors, including officers, with a maximum of 32 torpedoes.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old