China's Type 041 Zhou Nuclear Submarine Sank Near Wuhan, Setting Back Military Modernization

Sep 26, 2024, 04:06 PM

China's newest nuclear-powered attack submarine, the Type 041 Zhou class, sank in late May or early June at a shipyard near Wuhan, according to U.S. officials. The incident, which has not been previously disclosed, represents a significant setback for China's military modernization efforts. Chinese authorities scrambled to cover up the event, and it remains unclear whether the submarine was carrying nuclear fuel at the time of the incident. The Pentagon has confirmed the report, but the exact cause of the sinking is not yet known. The submarine sank in a pierside accident and attempts to salvage it from the Yangtze River have been observed.