As reported by the Japanese media, on the morning of February 8, off the coast of the Japanese island of Shikoku at Cape Asizuri (Koch Prefecture), a large non-nuclear submarine SS 501 Soryu (the lead in the series, in service since 2009) Naval Self-Defense Forces of Japan, when surfacing at periscope depth, collided with a commercial bulk carrier Ocean Artemis (deadweight 94 thousand dwt, length 229 meters, built in 2011) under the Hong Kong flag. The submarine suffered damage to the light hull, the guard rails of the extendable devices and the horizontal rudders, three crew members of the boat were injured and were hospitalized.
Damaged in a collision with the commercial bulk carrier Ocean Artemis, the large non-nuclear submarine SS 501 Soryu of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, near the Japanese port of Koch (Shikoku Island), 08.02.2021 (c) Kyodo
The bulk carrier Ocean Artemis was en route with a cargo of iron ore from Qingdao (China), from where it left on February 5, to the Japanese port of Okayama. On board was a crew of 21 citizens of the People's Republic of China. As a result of the collision with the submarine, the ship was practically not injured, as well as its crew, but on February 9, it arrived in the Japanese port of Kobe for inspection and proceedings.
On the Soryu submarine, a retractable radio mast also failed as a result of the collision, as a result of which the boat could not report the incident for more than three hours after the collision at 10:58 local time. On the evening of 8 February, the submarine arrived at the port of Kochi on Shikoku. The Japanese Defense Ministry has launched an investigation into the incident.
Area of collision of the commercial bulk carrier Ocean Artemis with the large non-nuclear submarine SS 501 Soryu of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force near the Japanese port of Koch (Shikoku Island) 08.02.2021 (c) NHK
Damaged in a collision with the commercial bulk carrier Ocean Artemis, the large non-nuclear submarine SS 501 Soryu of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. 08.02.2021 (C) the coast guard Japan
Damaged in a collision with the commercial bulk carrier Ocean Artemis, the large non-nuclear submarine SS 501 Soryu of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, near the Japanese port of Koch (Shikoku Island), 08.02.2021 (c) Kyodo
Bulk carrier Ocean Artemis (Hong Kong flag) in the coal terminal of the Russian port of Vanino, 30.04.2020 (c) andy. ru73 / www.shipspotting.com
