Alarming incident. Chinese destroyer attacked divers with sonar
6:06 AM EST, November 19, 2023
Australia has accused China of using sonar against underwater divers from the Australian navy. The sailors suffered minor injuries due to sonar pulses emitted by the Chinese destroyer, said acting Australian Prime Minister Richard Marles in a statement on Saturday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, November 14, but it was not until Saturday that the Australian Defense Ministry released this information to the public.
Australia alleges that Chinese navy attacked divers with sonar
As per the "Associated Press" agency, the frigate HMAS Toowoomba was sailing in international waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone en route to a planned port visit. The vessel had to make an unscheduled stop when fishing nets entangled its propellers.
Divers were dispatched underwater to rectify the issue. As per the Australian report, during this time, the ship was signaling warnings about the ongoing underwater operations.
During the operation, the Chinese destroyer PLA-N DDG-139 allegedly approached the Toowoomba, causing the Australian vessel's crew to reassert their alert about the ongoing operations and urge the Chinese vessel to maintain a safe distance.
In a statement issued on November 18, Acting Australian Prime Minister Richard Marles revealed that despite receiving the warning, the Chinese vessel drew even nearer.
Shortly thereafter, the destroyer was observed using a hull-mounted sonar, posing a danger to the Australian divers. Upon surfacing, the sailors were examined and found to have sustained minor injuries, likely due to the sonar pulses, Marles added.
This is dangerous and unprofessional behaviour. The safety and well-being of our personnel continues to be our highest priority. Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their armed forces in a professional and safe manner—Marles conveyed in a Saturday statement.
The Australian side underscores that its defense forces have been surveying the region for decades and are doing so in compliance with international law. A response from the Chinese government regarding this situation has yet to be received.
