In a cloud of lethal fog and suspicious Chinese ambiguity, Beijing remains silent, as usual, regarding the sinking of its first “Zhou”-class nuclear attack submarine at the Wushang shipyard on the Yangtze River in Wuhan last summer.
The incident was observed by satellites, with experts confirming it after reviewing satellite images.
According to the AP news agency, satellite images showed a submarine docked at the shipyard. On June 15, the submarine appeared to be either fully or partially submerged beneath the river's surface, surrounded by salvage equipment and cranes to prevent any oil leaks or leaks of “other” fuel materials.
Later, another submarine was seen at the same dock. However, it remains unclear whether it was the same vessel. It was also uncertain if the damaged submarine was loaded with nuclear fuel or whether its reactor was operational at the time of the accident. This is what Beijing must clarify.