BEIJING - Mechanical failure aboard a conventionally powered Chinese submarine killed 70 crew members, the official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday.
The brief Chinese-language report said the accident occurred "recently" in Chinese waters east of the Neichangshan islands. The islands are just off the coast of the northeastern province of Liaoning.
The submarine was on an exercise when the accident occurred, and "because of a mechanical malfunction, the 70 crew members on board died," the Xinhua report said.
Xinhua did not provide further details or say how the sailors died. The report said the vessel has already been towed back to port, but did not say to which port.
