China intercepted submarine probe launched by a US military aircraft into the disputed waters of the South China Sea, reported Yuyuan Tantian, a social media outlet linked to China's state television, Reuters and BTA reported.
According to "Yuyuan Tantian" US military aircraft have been seen making numerous flights over the area and dropping “unidentified objects” in the waters. The ongoing activity has raised curiosity and concern about the intentions behind these operations.
China's coast guard responded quickly, retrieving and inspecting one of the abandoned objects. Footage of this operation was shared on Chinese social media, confirming the recent interception. The video was accompanied by a statement explaining the meaning of the probe.
According to an expert cited in the report, the device is capable of detecting signals from Chinese submarines and could potentially be used to counter the communications of underwater vessels.