http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentis...ip-sinking http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap...gD9EMMTN80 http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreig...a-involved
Latest news on the Cheonan sinking... Hopes dim for South Korean sailors after sinking (CNN) South Korea Seeks Survivors of Sunken Ship; North Korea Silent (Business Week)
From the navy blogs I read/participate in, the original statement that it was most likely an accident is looking less and less likely as time goes by. It has been pointed out by USN officers in a position to know, that them ines from the Korean war have been well cleared at this point, making it very unlikely that it was an old mine. Suspects (other than the accident theory) are a newly-released surface mine, or a soviet-era wake-homing torpedo from one of NK's submarines.
Most recent news reports from S.Korea: -ship was damaged by an EXTERNAL explosion, not an internal one. -SK govt orders all govt employees off furlough, vacation, etc until the crisis related to the Sinking is resolved. -NK sub departed base 50 km away from the sinking a few days prior, and returned shortly afterwards. Not damning evidence as yet, but it looks suspicious. It's probably NOT a mine, as that's not something that one would release by itself in the hopes of randomly hitting a SK warship. If you were looking to hit an enemy ship you'd release hundreds if not more. It's a big ocean, even in that 'little' armpit of water. Speculation on NK human torpedoes is not lkely to be true, as they have a top speed of around 2 kts, far slower than the Cheonan. While it's theoretically possible that one of Cheonan's DC's rolled off the rack armed and set for very shallow depth, such an explosion would not likely split the ship in two.
Hmmm, I can't find any news stories confirming most of that information. Two of the latest stories: Hunt for clues to naval disaster (Straights Times) Speculation Focuses on N.Korean Semi-Submersibles (Chosun Ilbo)
The Korean war era mine story I read yesterday was a little unbelievable. I can see a battery lasting 9 years but 50+?
The last Korean war-era mine was found in 1984. For it to be an old one is stretching credibility. Likewise, if NK wanted to release a new one, they'd launch more than one. Commentary on professional naval blogs is not leaning towards mines. The consensus could be wrong, but I want to hear what the divers are finding, and how big the underwater explosion is purported to have been.
I agree we won't have any real data to go off of until divers are able to explore the wreck. Rampant speculation is still the rule of the day: Impatience deepens in South Korea over Cheonan ship sinking (Christian Science Monitor) Suspicion of N.Korean Hand in Sinking Mounts (Chosun Ilbo)
Im going with something similar to the Tomorrow Never Dies plot....well atleast until there is more than just wild speculation.
Or just blame someone when you dont know what really happened(and still dont). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Maine_(ACR-1)
One of the more complete descriptions of the Cheonan incident I've seen so far: Torpedo 'likely' cause of sinking (JoongAng Ilbo)
So who is Hearst this time? Didn't the Rickover commission settle on an ammunition explosion due to a bunker fire?
It's funny you mention Hearst. I've noticed a definite difference between South Korean news sources reporting it's all but accepted fact that North Korea purposefully sank the Cheonan with a torpedo versus news outlets from the rest of the world being far more uncertain. The daily newspaper Chosun Ilbo seems to be the one most aggresively pushing North Korea as the culprit. Rickover did indeed come to the conclusion the Maine sinking was due to an accidental internal explosion. However, many recent researchers have found problems with the Rickover investigation and raised new doubts about what the real cause was. I don't think we'll ever know for certain.
The thing that bugs me about a mine/torpedo is that I have never heard of anyone claiming credit for it or any evidence supporting it. Of course it could have been Hearst that blew up the Maine! Eureka! Problem solved.
That would close the loop with the "Tomorrow Never Dies" reference. Was William Randolph Hearst the prototype for Elliot Carver? I think we may have the makings of a great new conspiracy theory! And the government is covering up the truth!
i think it was the north koreans with a mine by accident....... not really, it was a torp, they want a war....