Us Navy Ship Taking On Water On Philippine Reef

[News_Editor]

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard approaches the USS Guardian, which ran aground on the Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Jan. 17. (Photo: Reuters)

MANILA, The Philippines — A US Navy minesweeper that ran aground on a Philippine reef is damaged and taking on water and will have to be lifted off the rocks in an operation that could last another week or two, a Navy official said on Thursday.

Before the USS Guardian can be removed from the Tubbataha Reef, about 56,000 liters of fuel will be siphoned off to avoid spills, Rear Adm Thomas Carney, commander of the Navy’s Logistics Group in the Western Pacific, told reporters.

The ship, which is based in Japan, crashed into the reef before dawn Jan. 17 while on its way to Indonesia after making a rest and refueling stop in Subic Bay, a former American naval base west of Manila.

All of its 79 officers and crew were transferred to two other US vessels the following day for safety reasons as the 68-meter long, 1,300-ton ship was unable to maneuver on its own and buffeted by strong winds and waves.

Carney said the ship is hard aground about 30 meters from the edge of the reef, a marine sanctuary that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

“It’s got hull penetration in several places, and there is a significant amount of water inside the ship right now,†he said.

Philippine coast guard chief Rear Adm Rodolfo Isorena said efforts to remove the fuel have been hampered by the rough waters and another attempt will be made Thursday.

Carney said heavy items aboard the ship will be taken off to lighten it before the vessel is loaded on another ship or barge.

He said the operation could last a week or two.

“I want to express my deepest regret for the circumstances that we are all in right now,†Carney said.

He said an investigation will look into all the factors that may have led to the grounding, including a reported faulty digital chart, sea conditions, weather and the state of the ship’s navigational equipment.

The Philippine government said it wants to fine the Navy for the damage and illegal entry into the marine sanctuary.

Angelique Songco, head of the Protected Areas Management Board, which is in charge of the reef, said the government imposes a fine of about $300 per square meter of damaged coral plus about the same amount for rehabilitation and other violations.

Carney said that after the ship is removed, the damage to the reef would be assessed and the two governments, which have close military and political ties, will discuss any claims.

Source: Irrawaddy.org

[NeverSure]

<deleted>??? Fine the US? The US has had a treaty with the Philippines since 1951 to defend them if they are attacked. As a result, like so many nations, the PI doesn't have to spend much on military. They have no subs, no aircraft carriers...

The US spends more money on its military than all of the rest of the world's countries combined. For instance Russia spends only 8% of what the US spends. Now the PI has this power at its disposal, and wants to impose a fine for a mistake which will cost the US a fortune already just retrieving the ship?

As a US taxpayer watching the huge military budget and the huge US deficits, I'm sick of this chit. I'd like to see all of the US military brought home, and let these countries fend. That includes Europe such as Germany where the US has a huge presence and Germany then has to spend little on military. Why?

The US should pay the fine, revoke the treaty, and tell the PI to fend.

[rsokolowski]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/science/earth/03coral.html?_r=0

The US Navy paid over 7 million USD in fines and restoration fees to the State of Hawaii when the USS Port Royal ran aground near the entrance to Pearl Harbor Hawaii. $300 a square meter is a bargain.

[NeverSure]

http://www.nytimes.c...coral.html?_r=0

The US Navy paid over 7 million USD in fines and restoration fees to the State of Hawaii when the USS Port Royal ran aground near the entrance to Pearl Harbor Hawaii. $300 a square meter is a bargain.

Paying restitution to a US state which actually pays taxes to support the military is one thing. Giving one red cent to a country which is just a bloodsucker and basks in the protection provided by US taxpayers for free is insane.

[IMA_FARANG]

http://www.nytimes.c...coral.html?_r=0

The US Navy paid over 7 million USD in fines and restoration fees to the State of Hawaii when the USS Port Royal ran aground near the entrance to Pearl Harbor Hawaii. $300 a square meter is a bargain.

Paying restitution to a US state which actually pays taxes to support the military is one thing. Giving one red cent to a country which is just a bloodsucker and basks in the protection provided by US taxpayers for free is insane.

http://www.nytimes.c...coral.html?_r=0

The US Navy paid over 7 million USD in fines and restoration fees to the State of Hawaii when the USS Port Royal ran aground near the entrance to Pearl Harbor Hawaii. $300 a square meter is a bargain.

Paying restitution to a US state which actually pays taxes to support the military is one thing. Giving one red cent to a country which is just a bloodsucker and basks in the protection provided by US taxpayers for free is insane.

-------------------------

Actually any fine will be because that reef is a protected area, an international UNESCO site where vessels are not permitted without authorization (because it is a nature protected zone).

Any fine will be because the U.S. vessel was not supposed to be operating in that protected zone.

And although the U.S. Navy hasn't confirmed it officially yet, it is believed that the U.S. s/hip was setting it's course from it's digital satty maping system ... and the location of that particular reef was incorrectly entered into that satty mapping system .... they didn't know the reef was there, their digital maps showed it somewhere else.

And, regarding Germany:

1. U.S. troops have been reduced in Germany drastically since the Soviet Union's demise .... U.S. forces in Germany are now only a fraction of what they were in say 1970 or so.

2. Germany is part of NATO ... and therefore has to pay it's share into the NATO operating budget. They complain about it in Germany too .... but as Germany is NOT a poor country any longer they do NOT get a "free ride" from NATO.

3. I don't mean to be rude, but some of your ideas abd assumptions are at least 10 years out of date .... no longer true with the 2013 defense reality .... the cold war is long over and the situation has changed for many years.

For example in Afghanistan German planes are a regular presence .... on whatever mission they are assigned by NATO. Before I retired I saw German reconnisance planes assigned to NATO passing through Crete, Greece at the base where I worked on their way to Afghanistan regularly.

Anyhow, that's off topic, so I'll say no more about that.

[qdinthailand]

Well, the fine is going to sound really cheap if what I heard reported is correct.

The Navy's giant salvage vessel failed to remove it from the reef - in fact, it got stuck tighter. So now the navy is going to dismantle the ship completely as in, one less ship in the Navy arsenal. These things cost 100's of millions, so add another few 100's of millions to the Defense budget.

[NeverSure]

Actually any fine will be because that reef is a protected area, an international UNESCO site where vessels are not permitted without authorization (because it is a nature protected zone).

Any fine will be because the U.S. vessel was not supposed to be operating in that protected zone.

As I said, the US should then just stay the heck away from all of those waters and let the Philippines and other Asian countries fend. The cost is immense, and the rewards small, and mistakes will happen anywhere. Fining the US on top of all the money it spends in those waters is an insult.

And although the U.S. Navy hasn't confirmed it officially yet, it is believed that the U.S. s/hip was setting it's course from it's digital satty maping system ... and the location of that particular reef was incorrectly entered into that satty mapping system .... they didn't know the reef was there, their digital maps showed it somewhere else.

Correct. Mistakes will happen any time humans are involved. If UNESCO and others aren't willing to risk a mistake, then the US shouldn't be there spending billions on defense with little remuneration. The US has huge deficits, partly due to military budgeting, and this is a good place to start.

And, regarding Germany:

1. U.S. troops have been reduced in Germany drastically since the Soviet Union's demise .... U.S. forces in Germany are now only a fraction of what they were in say 1970 or so.

2. Germany is part of NATO ... and therefore has to pay it's share into the NATO operating budget. They complain about it in Germany too .... but as Germany is NOT a poor country any longer they do NOT get a "free ride" from NATO.

3. I don't mean to be rude, but some of your ideas abd assumptions are at least 10 years out of date .... no longer true with the 2013 defense reality .... the cold war is long over and the situation has changed for many years.

For example in Afghanistan German planes are a regular presence .... on whatever mission they are assigned by NATO. Before I retired I saw German reconnisance planes assigned to NATO passing through Crete, Greece at the base where I worked on their way to Afghanistan regularly.

Anyhow, that's off topic, so I'll say no more about that.

Ha. Germany isn't even on the list. And that's because the US has so many bases in Germany. Don't forget. It's not just the size. Who develops the technology, at great expense, to put those awesome missiles on fighters and all other high tech munitions?

This is a massive problem for the US. It tries to defend the whole world full of its allies, and this mess in Asia is the tip of the iceberg.

Where is Germany? Where are the Philippines? Where's Australia or Canada? The UK squeaked in. Even France spends more than Germany. Link

The US spends 4.7% of its GDP on defense. I can't even find the Philippines. Germany spends just 1.7%, and its GDP is smaller.

The US spends 41% of the world's "share" on military. Germany spends 2.7%.

Again, I can't even find the Philippines, but the US has bases there at Clark Air Force Base and naval at Subic Bay. Link

Screw them.

Military spending by nation:

US Bases in Germany

Link

Edited February 4, 2013 by NeverSure

[BEENTHEREDONETHAT]

I thought Subic Bay Naval base and Clark air force base were closed back in 1992.

[NeverSure]

I thought Subic Bay Naval base and Clark air force base were closed back in 1992.

Don't misread me on this. I'm 100% opposed to having US military presence anywhere except at home, except in emergencies. The defense budget is really damaging the US IMHO.

Subic Bay

Link

"The Philippines re-opens military bases to US forces" June 6, 2012

"American warships and fighter plans can once again call Subic Bay and Clark Air Force Base home after Manila approved limited U.S. deployments to the former American military outposts.

“They can come here provided they have prior coordination from the government,” Filipino Under Secretary for Defense Affairs Honorio Azcueta announced shortly after his meeting with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey on Monday.

“That’s what [the Philippines] want ... increase in exercises and interoperability” with U.S. forces, Azcueta said, according to reports by the Philippine Star."