Taiwan said it “closely monitored” a Chinese nuclear submarine that surfaced in the shallow waters of the Taiwan Strait early Tuesday.
The submarine surprised the crew of a squid boat, which took pictures of the vessel.
The images showed the black hull of a Type 094 submarine, also known as the Jin class, Newsweek reported. The Jin class, six of which are in service, can launch ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads and are sometimes referred to as “boomers.”
The submarine was seen around 5 a.m., about 25 nautical miles from Quemoy Island, just west of the median line that separates Taiwan and China.
Soon after the Jin class was spotted, another warship was seen escorting it toward the mainland, the South China Morning Post reported. The submarine did not submerge again, the fishermen said.
“The military had a comprehensive understanding of the situation through relevant intelligence and reconnaissance methods,” Taiwan Defense Minister Wellington Koo said without speculating on the crew’s intentions.
Taiwanese military experts said there could be many reasons as to why the submarine surfaced, including routine maintenance, a technical malfunction, or perhaps a deliberate show of force.
