Japan submarine collides with commercial ship off Shikoku, 3 injured

A Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force submarine collided Monday with a commercial vessel in the Pacific Ocean off the western main island of Shikoku, with three crew members on the submarine slightly injured but no major damage reported, government officials said.

The 84-meter-long Souryu scraped the hull of the vessel as it was surfacing, the Defense Ministry said, adding that the submarine's antenna mast and other upper parts were slightly damaged but it was able to continue sailing. [link to english.kyodonews.net (secure)]