Two days later, China flew a record 56 aircraft into the zone in a 24-hour period. On the day of the crash, China flew 39 aircraft into the Air Defense Identification Zone. The collision came at a particularly sensitive time in US-China relations, as the Chinese military was sending waves of aircraft into Taiwan’s Air Defense Identification Zone. USNI News was the first to report the findings of the investigation. Thomas will decide whether “follow-on actions, including accountability, are appropriate.” Karl Thomas, the commander of 7th Fleet, for his review, according to the statement. The command investigation for the USS Connecticut has been submitted to Vice Adm. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
Though the Seawolf-class submarine suffered some injuries to crew members and some damage, the Navy said the nuclear propulsion plant was not damaged in the accident. US 7th Fleet operates in the Western Pacific and Indian oceans. “The investigation determined USS CONNECTICUT grounded on an uncharted seamount while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region,” a 7th Fleet spokesperson told CNN in a statement.
