A U.S. nuclear submarine has been hit by an unidentified object in the China Sea

The U.S. nuclear submarine struck an unidentified object while patrolling the South China Sea last weekend, according to U.S. Navy reports and independent sources.

“On the afternoon of October 2, the USS Connecticut struck an object while sinking internationally in the Indo-Pacific region,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement. “There was no life-threatening injury,” the statement said, adding that the sailors may have been slightly injured.

The U.S. Navy also said the USS Connecticut, a seawolf-class nuclear submarine, was damaged but in working condition.

Naval Exercise

According to the Naval Institute, a think tank close to the U.S. Navy, USS Connecticut participated in international naval exercises in the South China Sea during the incident.

China claims ownership of the entire South China Sea and has established military outposts on small islands and atolls in the region.

The United States and its allies continue to patrol the international waters of the region to assert their right to independence.