Did China's Type 052D Destroyer Break Down In Indian Ocean?

Chinese Type 052D frigate known as DDG-173 Changsha broke down probably due to propulsion failure in Indian Ocean while en route to Baltic Sea, to participate in joint China-Russia naval exercise joint Sea 2017.

Changsha is believed to be drifting since at least June 26 with replenishment ship LUOMAHU (Qiandaohu-class or Type 903, displacement 23.400) around it, a China based website East Pendulum reported Saturday, referring to anonymous military source.

 The 173 Changsha is likely to have suffered a breakdown of its transmission systems while crossing Indian Ocean. The Type 052D destroyer would have lost all its motive power and would have been floating since.

However, there has been no news of the incident in the official Chinese military media or any source associated with the PLA Navy. The veracity of the East Pendulum report could not be verified.

Chinese navy sent the flotilla, composed of the destroyer 173 Changsha of Type 052D, frigate 571  Yuncheng of Type 054A and tanker-tanker 964  Luomahu of Type 903A,  on June 18.

The flotilla intended to join the Baltic fleet of the navy Russian Sea in the first phase of the naval exercise "Joint Sea 2017" to be held in Saint-Petersburg and Kaliningrad.

The heads of a production unit of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) group, which manufactures the components of these systems, and the military representatives seconded to this entity, were summoned to Beijing for an emergency meeting, the website said.