The 70 Chinese submariners killed in a recent accident appear to have died of suffocation, according to a Hong Kong newspaper with close ties to Beijing. An article in Wen Wei Po quoted investigators as saying there were no traces of an explosion on board the submarine, or signs of flooding. The newspaper report said rescuers found all crew members still at their posts, suggesting there had been no warning of the "mechanical difficulties" which the official Chinese media said caused the accident. China has released few details about the accident, prompting speculation that it may have been caused by a malfunctioning of the vessel's diesel engines, which sucked oxygen from the interior during descent.
Snorkle malfunction, engine was using air from inside the boat instead of from the snorkle. |