"Through appropriate government channels, the Department of Defense has called on China to immediately return an unmanned underwater vehicle, illegally seized on Thursday in the South China Sea," the Pentagon reported yesterday.
Earlier it was reported to the press that a submarine rescue ship belonging to the class Dalang III, had captured a UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle) while the USNS ceanographic vessel Bowditch (photo below) was trying to recover it along with a second copy.
The incident occurred in international waters approximately 50 nautical miles northwest of the Subic Bay base in the Philippines.
"UUV is a vessel that enjoys thesovereign immunity (see in detail) of the United States. We appeal to China to immediately repay our UUV and comply with all obligations under international law ".
During the episode there would be communications between the decks of the ships involved but US requests would have been ignored.
"The USNS Bowditch and the seized UVV - an unclassified 'ocean glider' system used around the world to collect military oceanographic data on salinity, water temperature and speed of sound propagation - were conducting routine operations in accordance with international law. . The system is ours. It is clearly marked. We would like to have him back and that similar episodes do not happen again. "- concluded the Pentagon yesterday.
In the last few hours, the Chinese Ministry of Defense has responded that a Chinese warship discovered "unidentified equipment" and checked it - before discovering it was a US drone - to prevent navigation safety problems.
"China will return the drone. The two countries have always been in contact. The unilateral and open frame of a case by the US is inadequate and not advantageous for solving the problem. We express regret for this", concluded the Chinese Defense on their website.
"China steals a research drone in international waters from the US Navy. He pulls it out of the water and takes it home with unprecedented action!", has meanwhile tweeted the next US president, Donald Trump.
Tensions due to the militarization of waters and islands (v. articles) in the South China Sea continue to grow ...
(photo: US Navy)
