U.S. destroyer slightly damaged in collision with tug off Japan - U.S. Navy

[rooster59]

U.S. destroyer slightly damaged in collision with tug off Japan - U.S. Navy

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. guided-missile destroyer, USS Benfold,, sustained slight damage when a Japanese tug drifted into it during a towing exercise off central Japan on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said.

 

"No one was injured on either vessel and Benfold sustained minimal damage, including scrapes on its side, pending a full damage assessment," a statement from the U.S. Seventh Fleet said.

 

"Benfold remains at sea under her own power. The Japanese commercial tug is being towed by another vessel to a port in Yokosuka. The incident will be investigated," it said.

 

The incident was the latest mishap involving a U.S. warship in Asia.

 

The U.S. Navy announced a series of reforms this month aimed at restoring basic naval skills and alertness at sea after a review of deadly ship collisions in the Asia-Pacific region showed sailors were under-trained and over-worked.

 

Seventeen sailors have been killed this year in two collisions with commercial vessels involving guided-missile destroyers, the Fitzgerald in June off Japan and then the John S. McCain in August as it approached Singapore.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-19

[Somtamnication]

I guess the towing "exercise" failed the test?   What's up with the US Navy and all these accidents lately?

[meinphuket]

It may be a coincidence, but since the great leader of Trumpistan came into being, not only he, but the nation as a whole seems to have lost direction. The USN beautifully exemplifies that by having many collisions since the start of the Trump era.

[Morch]

1 hour ago, meinphuket said:

It may be a coincidence, but since the great leader of Trumpistan came into being, not only he, but the nation as a whole seems to have lost direction. The USN beautifully exemplifies that by having many collisions since the start of the Trump era.

 

Naval Accidents 1945 - 1988

https://fas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/NavalAccidents1945-1988.pdf

 

If I'm reading this right (page 81) the figures may not be outside of the norm, sadly.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, Morch said:

 

Naval Accidents 1945 - 1988

https://fas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/NavalAccidents1945-1988.pdf

 

If I'm reading this right (page 81) the figures may not be outside of the norm, sadly.

From 2001 to Trump's inauguration you won't find US naval surface ships with sustained significant damage caused by human error. In July 13, 2000 the amphibious transport dock Denver collided during a refueling exercise west of Hawaiian with the replenishment oiler Yukon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/us/navy-collisions-history-mccain-fitzgerald.html

 

[Morch]

4 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

From 2001 to Trump's inauguration you won't find US naval surface ships with sustained significant damage caused by human error. In July 13, 2000 the amphibious transport dock Denver collided during a refueling exercise west of Hawaiian with the replenishment oiler Yukon.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/21/us/navy-collisions-history-mccain-fitzgerald.html

 

 

Is the NYT's list comprehensive or illustrative? It would seem rather odd (unless I'm missing something) that accident figures would change dramatically.

[IAMHERE]

I blame this on North Korea. Would be great if America could bring their ships home to protect America, leave the rest of the world to fend for themselves.

Edited November 19, 2017 by IAMHERE
spelling

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

 

Is the NYT's list comprehensive or illustrative? It would seem rather odd (unless I'm missing something) that accident figures would change dramatically.

See the link.

Appears to be comprehensive as it included sub accidents post 2000 which I excluded from my comment.

[Foexie]

Third time this year they hit something at sea.

 

Probably break failure or speeding. Those darn reckless sailors.

[Basil B]

A few scrapes and it's news?

 

Recall a few years back, being on a pick up truck that dropped a few US sailors back at their Ship that was moored down at Sattahip, all the bow was caved in.

[jeffconnors]

22 hours ago, meinphuket said:

It may be a coincidence, but since the great leader of Trumpistan came into being, not only he, but the nation as a whole seems to have lost direction. The USN beautifully exemplifies that by having many collisions since the start of the Trump era.

More movement to show that America is strong will likely involve more potential for accidents. No excuse but reality. Obozo never asked the military to do anything and reduced it's readiness to post WWII levels. Less people, less exercises, less ops, less money, less equipment, less accidents!  Makes sense to liberals. 

[hawker9000]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2017 at 6:20 PM, Somtamnication said:

I guess the towing "exercise" failed the test?   What's up with the US Navy and all these accidents lately?

Years of sequestrations, 273 ships and crews trying to do the work of twice that number, and a service ethic that almost totally precludes a CO or force commander from EVER saying unable to comply and fulfill a tasking .   'And not a matter of "lately"; it's taken a decade and more of withheld resources for things to deteriorate to this point.  The piper is just finally being paid.

 

[zydeco]

Affirmative Action navy at work.

[55Jay]

I looked around for other news on this, most have it right - a barely newsworthy, minor event but of course, and rather predictably, use it as a springboard to re-hash the Navy's recent string of incidents. 

 

The worst was Time.com's huge font headline screaming, "The USS Benfold Just Collided With a Tugboat in Japanese Waters!"  OMG!  You'd think it was the Titanic all over again.

 

The lead in para says the Benfold "CRASHED" into the tug. 

 

The next line flips it 180, saying the tug "drifted" into the ship, which brings it back into reality.   They continue dialing back their bulls**t incrementally with minimal damage, "scrapes", and then return to Earth, characterizing the whole event as relatively harmless.   Indeed.  Quite the departure from the intentionally dishonest headline.

 

Who writes this tabloid s**t?  Curious, I looked up the Time Jouroboob on the By Line.   A 20 something Millennial dingdong, 2016 graduate of Northwestern, BA in Journalism.  She writes on her LinkedIn page, "I cover breaking news and health for TIME, Fortune, Money, and other Time Inc. brands".  

 

IMO, she's somewhere between Facebook selfies and amateur Blogger.

[Berkshire]

8 minutes ago, 55Jay said:

I looked around for other news on this, most have it right - a barely newsworthy, minor event but of course, and rather predictably, use it as a springboard to re-hash the Navy's recent string of incidents. 

 

The worst was Time.com's huge font headline screaming, "The USS Benfold Just Collided With a Tugboat in Japanese Waters!"  OMG!  You'd think it was the Titanic all over again.

 

The lead in para says the Benfold "CRASHED" into the tug. 

 

The next line flips it 180, saying the tug "drifted" into the ship, which brings it back into reality.   They continue dialing back their bulls**t incrementally with minimal damage, "scrapes", and then return to Earth, characterizing the whole event as relatively harmless.   Indeed.  Quite the departure from the intentionally dishonest headline.

 

Who writes this tabloid s**t?  Curious, I looked up the Time Jouroboob on the By Line.   A 20 something Millennial dingdong, 2016 graduate of Northwestern, BA in Journalism.  She writes on her LinkedIn page, "I cover breaking news and health for TIME, Fortune, Money, and other Time Inc. brands".  

 

IMO, she's somewhere between Facebook selfies and amateur Blogger.

You're right, it's a pretty minor collision.  But in view of the recent string of major accidents, and we're talking sailors losing lives in peacetime, it becomes newsworthy simply because of the pattern of mishaps in this region.  You would think with the previous C7F getting fired, there would be a major shake-up....and there probably was.  Really bad timing for the Benfold and her CO. 

[55Jay]

Just now, Berkshire said:

You're right, it's a pretty minor collision.  But in view of the recent string of major accidents, and we're talking sailors losing lives in peacetime, it becomes newsworthy simply because of the pattern of mishaps in this region.  You would think with the previous C7F getting fired, there would be a major shake-up....and there probably was.  Really bad timing for the Benfold and her CO. 

Of course I understand all that.  My observation was not about that.