Despite Beijing’s denials, British intelligence speaks of numerous victims among the crew
Mystery surrounding the fate of a Chinese submarine and its crew of 55 men. The news relating to the sinking is accompanied by denials from Beijing, including analyzes and press reports in which doubts and concerns coexist.
The EurAsian Times highlights how nuclear submarines are “vulnerable” in the event of an underwater accident that causes a leak: in history, accidents involving nuclear-powered submarines are linked to causes of different nature, but there is no shortage of episodes dependent on nuclear reactors, complete with radioactive leak.
What happens if a nuclear submarine sinks
China, claims the New Delhi press, has denied the news of the alleged sinking, but if the accident had really occurred there would be the problem of the “leak” which could have “serious consequences, including water contamination”, underlines a Indian expert at EurAsian Times.
And a structural failure of the reactors could cause “a release of highly radioactive fission products” and pose a “significant risk to the lives of those in the vicinity” as well as a “wider danger to the public safety of people”.
The incident involving the Chinese submarine 093-417, according to an internal British intelligence report obtained by the Daily Mail, it would have occurred last August 21st in the Yellow Sea. It would have caused 55 deaths. The submarine would have been the victim of a Chinese trap, an ‘anchor chain’ mechanism designed to have an anti-US function. The accident – reconstructs EurAsian Times – would have taken six hours to be resolved, but the system that guarantees oxygen on board would not have worked, with the consequent death of the crew members. According to the Sun, the crew members died from “asphyxiation or poisoning”.
“In addition to the damage to the submarine and the loss of lives on board, the most alarming aspect is the possibility of damage to the reactor – an Indian Navy officer confirmed to EurAsian Times – It could lead to a loss of radioactive material, which could contaminate the waters and the underwater environment”. A further danger would be “if it were carrying nuclear weapons”. And recovering a sunken submarine “can be dangerous for the same reasons.”
“The job of a submariner is extremely dangerous and is based on three pillars: the reliability and maintenance of the vessel, the training of staff and the uncertainty because the job of a sailor is difficult and we know that the sea is sometimes not a friend ” Andrea Margelletti, president of the Centro Studi Internazionali (Cesi), declared to Adnkronos.
“All great nations in history have lost submarines, it happened to the Americans, the Soviets and the Russians and, a few years ago, also to the Argentines.” Regarding the reliability of the news, Margelletti observes: “If Western countries say it sank, they likely have acoustic evidence that it happened. And a certain embarrassment on the part of the Chinese, who are presenting themselves to the world as an alternative power to the American one, would be understandable.” On the hypothesis of environmental risks linked to such an accident, Margelletti underlines: “At the moment I think it is difficult to imagine “.
Source-www.adnkronos.com