Chinese Warship Seizes US Underwater Drone - Pentagon

The seized drone deployed by an American oceanographic vessel. (Representational photo)

Washington, 17 Rabiul Awwal 1438/17 December 2016 (MINA) – A Chinese warship captured a US unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that was collecting unclassified scientific information in the South China Sea, the Pentagon revealed Friday.

“The United States has through their proper diplomatic channels demarched the Chinese, demanding return of our stuff,” KUNA quoted the Pentagon as saying in a statement.

Although the US vessel made contact with the Chinese to demand the device’s return, the request was “ignored,” said the statement.

The(UUV) was “lawfully conducting a military survey in the waters of the South China Sea,” said Spokesperson Jeff Davis to reporters.

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“It’s a sovereign immune vessel, clearly marked in English not to be removed from the water – that it was US property.” “This is not the sort of conduct we expect from professional navies,” Davis added.

The Chinese vessel came within 450 meters of a US oceanographic survey ship when the “ocean glider” was seized. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)