Chinese map of South China Sea floor has ‘twice the resolution’ of Western ones

The importance of such work was underscored in October 2021, when the US Navy’s Seawolf-class nuclear submarine USS Connecticut struck an uncharted seamount while submerged in the South China Sea. The collision grounded the vessel and injured 11 crew members.

A subsequent investigation blamed poor voyage planning by the officers on watch, who failed to heed sonar warnings that did not match their charts.