Australia has told China it is deeply concerned about injuries suffered this week by Australian Navy divers caused by a Chinese destroyer’s sonar device in Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said on Saturday that a Chinese navy ship had ignored requests to stay away from divers.
Divers were removing fishing nets that had become tangled in the propellers of a Navy frigate. The Australian ship was in the area as part of an operation to support UN sanctions against North Korea. The Australian frigate had informed the Chinese destroyer of the diving operation and asked it to move away, but the Chinese ship approached.
“Shortly after, it was discovered that the Chinese ship was using sonar mounted on the ship’s hull in a way that posed a danger to Australian divers who were forced to leave the water,” Marles said.
“Medical evaluations conducted after the divers emerged from the water revealed that they had suffered minor injuries, most likely due to exposure to the Chinese destroyer’s sonar pulses,” Marles said, describing the Chinese ship’s behavior as “unsafe” and “unprofessional.” It is not known exactly what type of injuries occurred. It happened.
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