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Breaking News

Accident on Conventional Chinese Sub

Aired May 02, 2003 - 09:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get back to this story in China right now.
Jamie Florcruz, our Beijing bureau chief, has been tracking it for us.

Jamie, what do you have?

JAMIE FLORCRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, the Chinese media, the Chinese CTV (ph), as well as the Shin Was News Agency, have confirmed that the news that some 70 men and crew of a Naval submarine perished in an accident in the territorial waters of China, in the eastern part of china.

The announcement says that it was due to a mechanical trouble. It's not clear exactly what, and also it's not clear when exactly this happened. It simply said in the past few days.

However, the chairman of the military commission, the former president, Jiang Zemin, has already sent a telegraph to the families of those who perished, expressing condolences and praising their heroism. This is one of the rare instances when the Chinese media have officially acknowledged and reported accidents involving military naval vessels, as well as other military accidents -- Bill.

HEMMER: I want to stress right now, we're told it's not a nuclear submarine, but a conventional one.

Jaime Florcruz, working the story in Beijing. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired May 2, 2003 - 09:54   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: I want to get back to this story in China right now.
Jamie Florcruz, our Beijing bureau chief, has been tracking it for us.

Jamie, what do you have?

JAMIE FLORCRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Bill, the Chinese media, the Chinese CTV (ph), as well as the Shin Was News Agency, have confirmed that the news that some 70 men and crew of a Naval submarine perished in an accident in the territorial waters of China, in the eastern part of china.

The announcement says that it was due to a mechanical trouble. It's not clear exactly what, and also it's not clear when exactly this happened. It simply said in the past few days.

However, the chairman of the military commission, the former president, Jiang Zemin, has already sent a telegraph to the families of those who perished, expressing condolences and praising their heroism. This is one of the rare instances when the Chinese media have officially acknowledged and reported accidents involving military naval vessels, as well as other military accidents -- Bill.

HEMMER: I want to stress right now, we're told it's not a nuclear submarine, but a conventional one.

Jaime Florcruz, working the story in Beijing. Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com