Posted on 02/19/2009 2:35:21 AM PST by TigerLikesRooster
China calls on Russia to explain cargo ship sinking
59 mins ago
China called on Russia on Thursday to explain how a Chinese cargo ship sank in Russian waters after reports it was fired on by the Russian military.
Seven Chinese sailors were missing after the "New Star" sank on Saturday in stormy seas off Vladivostok and after a Russian warship shot at least 500 rounds into it, the official China Daily newspaper said, quoting a Chinese-language paper which in turned quoted a Russian newspaper.
The "New Star" was held at the Russian port of Nakhodka earlier this month, suspected of involvement in smuggling, before it left without permission last week, the China Daily said.
"China has already made representations to the Russian side," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news conference.
"We hope they continue with the search and rescue operations for the missing sailors and clarify the reason (for the incident) as soon as possible."
(Excerpt) Read more at uk.news.yahoo.com ...
The Russians told them so probably...
Thanks
“We kept firing until it sank. But that’s not important right now.”
Wish I could give you more info - I’ve been looking into it off and on for years (and not on tinfoil hat sites, I assure you) and the information about it is spotty at best. Lots of speculation, but the seismographic readings couldn’t be anything else and there aren’t any good explanations from *anyone*.
The most likely guess on the number of non-test nuclear weapons that have been employed is about five - our two in Japan, most likely two in the Sino-Soviet border wars, and whatever the hell happened in the Indian Ocean.
Perhaps the Russians did not appreciate having lead in their childrens’ toys or household goods and decided to refund some lead to the Chinese. :D
China called on Russia on Thursday to explain how a Chinese cargo ship sank in Russian waters after reports it was fired on by the Russian military.
The "New Star" was held at the Russian port of Nakhodka earlier this month, suspected of involvement in smuggling, before it left without permission last week, the China Daily said,
Seems pretty straight forward to me. The Chinese ship was suspected of smuggling and taken into port. It htne tried to escape without permission and the Russian Navy opened fire.
But what were they smuggling?
Maybe they found out that Russian warships are rather slow, and if they escape and have enough lead time, Russian ship could not catch up to them. I suppose it all went as Chinese hoped, except that Russians decided to open fire, which they thought they did not, considering Russia's close relationship with China.
That they tried, under the circumstances, says that they were most probably doing something the Russians took pretty strong offense to and knew it.
Not saying that's right or wrong...because we do not know what they had on board...just saying that its reality.
“The “New Star” was held at the Russian port of Nakhodka earlier this month, suspected of involvement in smuggling, before it left without permission last week...”
Hey, they were detained and tried to make a run for it. What did they expect other than the classic “shot in the back while trying to escape” treatment?
No, no... for some reason the Chinese ship interposed itself between the Russian ship and it’s target!
It’s all the Chinese fault for moving into the way!
The New Star vessel was under the flag of Sierra Leone and had brought rice cargo to the port of Nakhodka.Puts it into better context. Apparently the vessel left port without permission, was followed for 15 hours, ordered to stop, etc., etc., then, fired upon, and was apparently returning when caught in a storm according to this report.
But it left without permission or notifying the authorities. The border guards following the ship and eventually opened fire.
But on its way back the vessel was caught in a storm and sank – out of 16 crew, only 8 people were saved.
The border guards say the ship ignored all warning signals while sailing towards the Chinese border at full speed.
”The Russian border guards followed the New Star for over 15 hours. They used all kinds of warnings including sound, light and radio signals. They had also made a gun signal, which was ignored. So they had to open fire at the vessel - it had violated not only Russian but International Maritime code. I must say, however, that it was a cargo vessel, and we aimed at areas we knew for sure didn’t contain any people,” Igor Rogatkin, Deputy Head of FSB Border Guards Department, said.
Fog of war.
“But what were they smuggling?”
My guess is lead painted toys and seafood that they couldn’t sell in America.
Really?
Got a link, or are ya' gonna' make me dig for it?
What was the year and what do we know?
Wife and I went to Diamond Lake snowmobiling this time of year last two years. Then to Lincoln City on the coast to unwind. WOW.
But can they protect them from very fast missiles?
Don’t bring a gun to a ship getting sunk by rockets.
Mmm, sounds pretty simple to me: Holes from 500 rounds of expended ammunition allow the ship to take on lots of water. i’d bet they’re pretty BIG holes.
Probably not quite what they wanted to know.
The crew may get handed over to the Chinese, where they will dissappear...
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