Snared.

This is coolbert:

Snared in a trap of their own devising. Chinese PLAN big time egg on face?

"'Egg on face' is an American English idiom that means to appear stupid or foolish when something goes wrong . . . It implies making an embarrassing error or blunder in public, since making an error in private isn't embarrassing.

"EXCLUSIVE: 55 Chinese sailors are feared dead after nuclear submarine 'gets caught in a trap intended to snare British and US vessels in the Yellow Sea'"

* "Twenty-two officers were among the 55 reported to have died in the Yellow Sea" * "China denies it happened - and apparently refused international assistance"

From https://www.dailymail.co.uk | article By MARK NICOL, DEFENCE EDITOR | 3 October 2023.

"Fifty-five Chinese sailors are feared dead after their nuclear submarine apparently got caught in a trap intended to ensnare British sub-surface vessels in the Yellow Sea."

"According to a secret UK report the seamen died following a catastrophic failure of the submarine's oxygen systems which poisoned the crew."

Caught in a trap of their devising? Chains anchored and designed to enmesh allied submarines of the USA/British/Japan/ROK variety. 

See the H. I. Sutton article the incident as reported and as discussed from various angles.

coolbert.