WASHINGTON: China sought to cover up the sinking of its newest nuclear-powered submarine, a senior US defense official said on Thursday.
The sinking at a shipyard earlier this year was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which also said that satellite imagery later showed large floating cranes arriving to salvage it.
“It’s not surprising that the PLA Navy would try to conceal the fact that their new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank pierside,” the senior US defense official said on condition of anonymity, referring to Beijing’s People’s Liberation Army Navy.
“In addition to the obvious questions about training standards and equipment quality, the incident raises deeper questions about the PLA’s internal accountability and oversight of China’s defense industry — which has long been plagued by corruption,” the official said.
The incident is a setback for China, which is seeking to modernize its navy — the largest in the world, but which includes many smaller warships such as frigates and corvettes.
The United States and Britain are meanwhile working to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines — a move that would expand the pool of countries with the advanced undersea vessels.
Beijing has been critical of the effort, which also envisages jointly developing advanced warfighting capabilities and is seen as a strategic answer to Chinese military ambitions in the Pacific region.
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China covered up sinking of newest submarine: US official
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China covered up sinking of newest submarine: US official
- The sinking at a shipyard earlier this year was first reported by The Wall Street Journal
- “It’s not surprising that the PLA Navy would try to conceal the fact that their new first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine sank pierside,” the official said
Mexico seeks answers after citizen dies in US custody
MEXICO CITY: Mexican authorities sought details on Thursday about the death of one of its citizens this week in an immigration detention facility in the US state of Georgia.
The number of people detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased significantly in recent years, and 2025 was the deadliest year for ICE detainees in two decades, with at least 30 people dying in detention centers.
At least four people have died in ICE detention so far this year, according to agency data.
On Thursday, Mexico’s consulate in Atlanta said it was “closely monitoring” the death of a Mexican citizen on Wednesday at an ICE facility south of the southern state’s capital.
Officials requested “that the circumstances of the incident be clarified,” the consulate said, adding that it was “collaborating on the necessary procedures to ensure that the investigation is conducted promptly and transparently.”
The consulate did not release the person’s name but said it planned to return the person’s remains to Mexico as soon as possible.
US officials have not publicly commented on the incident.
ICE has been at the forefront of US President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
More than 68,000 adults were in ICE detention as of the end of December, compared with about 36,000 in December 2023, agency data shows.
The agency has come under intense public scrutiny in recent days following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on January 7, sparking protests across the US.
The number of people detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased significantly in recent years, and 2025 was the deadliest year for ICE detainees in two decades, with at least 30 people dying in detention centers.
At least four people have died in ICE detention so far this year, according to agency data.
On Thursday, Mexico’s consulate in Atlanta said it was “closely monitoring” the death of a Mexican citizen on Wednesday at an ICE facility south of the southern state’s capital.
Officials requested “that the circumstances of the incident be clarified,” the consulate said, adding that it was “collaborating on the necessary procedures to ensure that the investigation is conducted promptly and transparently.”
The consulate did not release the person’s name but said it planned to return the person’s remains to Mexico as soon as possible.
US officials have not publicly commented on the incident.
ICE has been at the forefront of US President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign.
More than 68,000 adults were in ICE detention as of the end of December, compared with about 36,000 in December 2023, agency data shows.
The agency has come under intense public scrutiny in recent days following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an immigration officer in Minneapolis on January 7, sparking protests across the US.
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