A US nuclear submarine collided Thursday with an unidentified underwater object while operating in Asia, leading to damages, said the US navy Thursday.

The USS Connecticut, a nuclear-powered submarine, "Struck an object while submerged on the afternoon of October 2, while operating in international waters in the Indo-Pacific region," the Navy said in a statement.

The Navy reported that there were no life-threatening injuries, but the United States Naval Institute (USNI News) reported that the incident left 11 sailors moderately to minorly injured.

USNI News also reported that the submarine was operating in the South China Sea, a resource-rich sea that is a vital passage for maritime trade, for trillions of dollars pass through it on an annual basis. Beijing established military outposts on several islands in the region.

The United States and its allies carry out regular patrols in this region's international waters in an attempt to ensure 'freedom of navigation,' causing tensions with China.

The Chinese Navy had urged a US warship to leave the disputed area in the South China Sea. That was the first tension of kind since the inauguration of President Joe Biden.

Joe Biden had started his term with a tangible escalation against China, which saw USS John McCain, a US navy destroyer, transiting the Taiwan strait.