Mysterious metal cylinder said to be ‘spy machine’ found off Chinese naval base

BEIJING claims a metal cylinder pulled from the waters of the South China Sea was a foreign spy device used to gather intelligence on their navy, further stoking regional tensions.

A MYSTERIOUS metal cylinder pulled from the waters by a Chinese fishermen several years ago has suddenly resurfaced as another source of tension in the South China Sea.

Chinese state media at the weekend released images of the one-metre long, metallic torpedo-like object salvaged three years ago during a fishing expedition off Hainan province.

“It is now confirmed that the unmanned underwater machine, disguised to look like a torpedo, is an intelligence device capable of taking pictures with fibre-optic and satellite communication,” the China Daily asserts.

Mysterious mission ... Is the 1m long cylinder a spy drone, or just a discarded sensor buoy? Source: CCTV

“It was secretly placed in the water by a foreign country to obtain information on the Chinese navy fleet’s operations at sea.”

Hainan Province is the closest point of China to the disputed islands of the South China Sea. It is also home to a significant naval facility which is being expanded even further to become the home of the navy’s new aircraft carrier fleet.

Such sensors have been seen before.

The Cold-War between the former USSR and the United States saw extensive networks deployed globally to track and record the movement of submarines and warships.