A 275-foot Japanese submarine collided with a commercial ship on Monday about 31 miles off the country’s southwest coast, according to reports.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense said the crew aboard the Soryu-class submarine spotted the ship through its sights, tried to avoid the ship, but was unsuccessful. Nikkei Asia reported that the collision damaged the submarine’s communication system.
Kyodo News reported that the crew used a cell phone to report the accident. Three members of the submarine’s crew suffered minor injuries and the ship is not believed to have been damaged.
The Navy did not identify the commercial vessel, but NHK public television said it was the Ocean Artemis bulk carrier registered in Hong Kong. The company was transporting 90,000 tonnes of iron to Okayama, in western Japan, after leaving the Chinese port of Qingdao last Friday with 21 Chinese crew, the agency said.
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Defense Minister Nobou Kishi called the accident “extremely unfortunate,” the report said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report