Sonar Incident Between Chinese and Australian War Ships

Monday - November 20 2023, 21:44 UTC - 1 year ago

On November 14, 2023, Royal Australian naval personnel sustained minor injuries after being exposed to active sonar pulses from a nearby Chinese warship. Sonar is used for navigation, Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and potentially disturbs marine life. It is not yet known if this incident was an accident or intentional, but the Australian government has contacted the Chinese government to develop a “clearer understanding” of the circumstances.

On November 14, 2023, Royal Australian naval personnel reportedly sustained minor injuries after being exposed to active sonar pulses from a nearby Chinese warship. When the Chinese warship began operating its hull-mounted sonar, the divers from the frigate HMAS Toowoomba were working to clear fishing nets from the Australian frigate's propellers.

Sonar is potentially dangerous .

According to Defence Minister Richard Marles, ABC reports that the Australian frigate warned vessels in the area that diving operations were underway. The HMAS Toowoomba was in international waters at the time within Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). She had been sailing towards Japan, where it had a scheduled port visit before stopping to clear the netting.

"Despite acknowledging Toowoomba's communications, the Chinese vessel approached at a closer range," he said. "Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water," he added. It's believed the divers suffered ear injuries from active sonar pulses.

"It would have been incredibly loud for the divers under the hull. You're under a ship, it's pretty dark, you hear a sound that you're not expecting — it's going to be pretty disorientating," explained Jennifer Parker from the National Security College at the Australian National University (ANU) to ABC News.

"It's going to make you think, 'What is happening?' and probably start to panic. It may create dizziness, it can generate headaches, and, depending on the range and type of exposure, it could actually have soft-tissue injuries to your organs," she said. "I guess it's very lucky that the Department of Defence is reporting there's only minor injuries. But still, a really concerning incident," she added.

Active sonars are specialized equipment that help determine the location of submerged objects. They emit a sound signal that travels through water and reflects off an object before returning to a receiver. These sound signals are not emitted continuously but are sent as short bursts or pings during operation.

For two primary reasons, sonar is a crucial technology for submarines, warships, and other naval platforms. Firstly, it helps them navigate deep waters safely and avoid any obstacles. Secondly, Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonar equipment is used to detect, classify, track, and attack underwater threats and targets such as torpedoes and naval mines. This helps vessels to stay alert and prepared while navigating through the waters.

Accident or intentional? .

She stated that the Chinese vessel intentionally breached collision regulations while approaching HMAS Toowoomba as part of a larger trend of aggressive incidents in the region. "There certainly is a deliberate policy of the People's Liberation Army undertaking aggressive maneuvers in the region," she said. There is some evidence that active sonar may play a role in disturbing marine life, like whales.

As ABC News reports, no known instance of so-called “sonar harassment” has ever been proven. As of now, no one has concluded whether the incident was an accident or deliberate, but the Australian government has contacted the Chinese government to develop a “clearer understanding” of the circumstances.