A collision between a Japanese submarine and a cargo ship in the Pacific Ocean has resulted in injuries to at least three submarines, according to initial reports.
The incident occurred today at 10:58 AM local time, around 25 miles southeast of Cape Ashizuri, in the waters off the island of Shikoku, which lies southwest of Japan’s main island of Honshu.
Three crew members from the Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine Soryu suffered minor injuries, and pictures from the Japanese Coast Guard showed it sustained damage to its fairwater planes, the winglike structures on its conning tower.
The submarine involved was the first-in-class Soryu, one of 11 of these diesel-electric attack submarines active with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
The Soryu, commissioned in 2009, displaces about 3,000 tons and has a crew of around 65.
The Defense Ministry said communications equipment on the sub was also damaged, although it was still able to operate.
"Soryu scraped the hull of the vessel as it was surfacing. Regrettably, the MSDF submarine has collided with a commercial ship," Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the cargo ship was the bulk carrier Ocean Artemis, which departed the Chinese city of Qingdao on Friday and was headed for Okayama Prefecture in western Japan. With 51,000 gross tons and a length of 750 feet, the Ocean Artemis is registered in Hong Kong and was transporting iron ore.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told members of the press that the commercial vessel had reported to the Japan Coast Guard that no minor impact was felt, and it does not appear to have sustained any damage. So far, there have been no reports of injuries to any of the crew of the commercial vessel.
Bradley Martin, a RAND Corp analyst and former US Navy captain who analyzed images of the damage, said the impact would have restricted the submarine's capabilities.
Immediately after the accident, the Japanese government set up a response unit to investigate how the collision happened, as well as to assess the safety of the commercial vessel and provide rescue services if required. In a statement, Japan’s Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi said the collision was “regrettable.”
