U.S. Navy destroyer, Philippines merchant vessel collide off Japan

By Idrees Ali and Tim Kelly

 

The Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald is shown on patrol in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility in support of security and stability in the Pacific Ocean in this September 8, 2014 handout photo. Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist Seaman David Flewellyn/Handout via REUTERS

 

WASHINGTON/TOKYO (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy said on Friday that one of its destroyers collided with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel southwest of Yokosuka, Japan, in the dead of night and Japanese media reported that seven U.S. crew members were missing.

 

The Navy said in a statement that the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel at about 2:30 a.m. local time (1730 GMT), some 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, a rare incident on a busy waterway.

 

A U.S. official told Reuters that the Fitzgerald was still working to account for all personnel and could not confirm if any were missing.

The Navy said one injured U.S. sailor would be evacuated by a Japanese coast guard helicopter.

 

"The USS Fitzgerald suffered damage on her starboard side above and below the waterline," the Navy said in a statement.

 

It said the destroyer had experienced some flooding, and that the full extent of damage to the ship and injuries to its crew were still being determined. It said the Fitzgerald was operating under its own power, "although her propulsion is limited".

 

Kyodo news agency, citing the Japanese coast guard, said seven U.S. crew members were missing. Reuters could not immediately reach the Japanese coast guard to independently confirm the report.

 

A spokesman for the U.S. 7th Fleet said earlier that the ship was heading back to Yokosuka under its own power at 3 knots and would likely dock in a couple of hours.

 

Situated at the approach to Tokyo bay, Yokosuka and the waters to its south are busy with commercial vessels sailing to and from Japan’s two biggest container ports in Tokyo and Yokohama.

 

The USS Dewey and two Navy tugboats were being dispatched to provide assistance, the Navy said.

 

Japan's public broadcaster NHK showed aerial footage of the destroyer, which had a large dent in its right, or starboard, side. Images broadcast by NHK showed it had been struck next to its Aegis radar arrays behind its vertical launch tubes.

 

The images showed what appeared to be significant damage on the deck and to part of the radar. NHK also showed footage of the container vessel and said it was heading towards Tokyo under its own power.

 

Japan's Kyodo news agency reported that neither ship was in danger of sinking but that there was information that some crew may have gone overboard. It did not provide a source. Reuters could not immediately verify that account.

 

The 7th fleet said the collision was with the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal. At around 29,000 tons displacement it is about three times the size of the U.S. warship.

 

A spokesman for the Philippines coast guard said he had heard of the accident but had no details since it was not in Philippine waters.

Such incidents are rare.

 

In May, the U.S. Navy's USS Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel but both ships were able to operate under their own power.

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-17

what happened to good old radar ?

49 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

what happened to good old radar ?

The Philippine flagged ship was testing a new Romulan cloaking device 

Ais ,radar ,watch  command .

As a american i am truly embarrassed.

This should never happen ever. Remember the uss cole incident.

 

The man of war having damages to the starboard side might indicate that it did not give way to a vessel

showing red lights.

Note, I said might. (could be a host of other reasons)

 

 

The ocean is so bloody big, how could this possibly happen. Somebody definitely sleeping at the radar!

 

 

1 hour ago, quadperfect said:

Ais ,radar ,watch  command .

As a american i am truly embarrassed.

This should never happen ever. Remember the uss cole incident.

 

I agree with most of your thoughts; however, the USS Cole was stationary in a port being resupplied.  Much more to come but I would be concerned about my future career if I were the CO. 

Guess that sats a lot about the effectivity of the US war vessels navigation system. Bring on the war, but take a break at night, because we just can´t see. Or we need our beauty sleep.

Somebody dropped a BIG <deleted> here.

The US is always spouting are ships are the best in the World, but obviously not the crews.

brake failure?

5 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Somebody dropped a BIG <deleted> here.

The US is always spouting are ships are the best in the World, but obviously not the crews.

With 7 of the crew reported missing, and no knowledge yet about how the collision happened, I think that remark is a bit crass.

If they info is true about the men lost overboard I can't believe that a huge search was not initiated. 

16 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

With 7 of the crew reported missing, and no knowledge yet about how the collision happened, I think that remark is a bit crass.

 

16 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

With 7 of the crew reported missing, and no knowledge yet about how the collision happened, I think that remark is a bit crass.

With all that is happening in the World at the present time, ie North Korea, ISIS etc.  The crew should have been extra aware/careful of what was happening around them. No matter what the cause, somebody was negligent/ careless.

1 hour ago, jerojero said:

The ocean is so bloody big, how could this possibly happen. Somebody definitely sleeping at the radar!

 

 

 

Not necessarily so big, if this was close to Tokyo Bay the area could be charted with traffic lanes, they are not

always big.

 

An alternative to sleeping at the radar could be not understanding well what he/she sees on the radar screen.

 

Someone will be sailing a stone frigate from now on, impact was level with bridge and it's very hard not to notice 30,000 tons on your right where he has right of way.

wow, a destroyer was destroyed...................poor guys on that destroyed vessel RIP

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE 
           UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS 
           AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. 
           THAT'S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE 
           SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

20 minutes ago, PJPom said:

Someone will be sailing a stone frigate from now on, impact was level with bridge and it's very hard not to notice 30,000 tons on your right where he has right of way.

I wonder if it was iPhones/ipads on the bridge during the night shift? They were at a critical point of their route with well known well published shipping lines. Something made those on the bridge lose situational awareness and it could be so embarrassing we may never get the full story.

1 hour ago, ToS2014 said:

 Much more to come but I would be concerned about my future career if I were the CO. 

 

At this point everything is speculation. However, it's a safe bet to say either a Filipino master mariner or a U.S. commander will be sailing a desk from now on.

Never assume you have the right of way at sea......in fact assume the opposite. The destroyer captain will be losing his command asap. Merchant ships have minimal people on watch at any time. And a warship is pretty small compared to them. I hope they find the crew members....but probably not. Sad day for the navy.

1 hour ago, ToS2014 said:

I agree with most of your thoughts; however, the USS Cole was stationary in a port being resupplied.  Much more to come but I would be concerned about my future career if I were the CO. 

Yes but since the cole there is a minimum distance any vessel big or small is allowed to approach a war ship.If you enter this space you get fired upon.So this ship should have been fired on, not ramed.

Its really pathetic. Unless there is some kind of story behind the story.

Like the navy ship running dark and manuvering near this ship. They do usually run dark no ais no lights etc.

Somone really screwed up.

 

Summary: to destroy a US destroyer, simply deploy a cargo boat and ram into it. Done. Nukes and all.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

36 minutes ago, tomacht8 said:

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE 
           UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS 
           AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. 
           THAT'S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE 
           SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

Isn't that one originally about the English and the Irish?

At least three injured, seven missing after U.S. Navy destroyer collides with merchant vessel off Japan

By Idrees Ali and Tim Kelly

 

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, damaged by colliding with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel, is seen off Shimoda, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo June 17, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

 

TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seven crew members are missing and at least three injured after a U.S. Navy destroyer collided early on Saturday morning with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel south of Tokyo Bay in Japan, the U.S. Navy said.

 

The Japanese Coast Guard said the U.S. ship was experiencing some flooding but was not in danger of sinking, while the merchant vessel was able to sail under its own power.

 

The U.S. Navy said in a statement the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel at about 2:30 a.m. local time (1730 GMT), some 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, a rare incident on a busy waterway.

 

Three aboard the destroyer had been medically evacuated, including the ship's commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson, who was reportedly in stable condition after being airlifted to the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, the Navy said.

 

The other two injured were transferred to the hospital for lacerations and bruises, while other injuries were being assessed, it said. The Fitzgerald and the Japanese Coast Guard were searching for seven missing sailors.

 

"The USS Fitzgerald suffered damage on her starboard side above and below the waterline," the Navy said in a statement.

 

It said the full extent of damage to the ship and injuries to its crew were still being determined. The Fitzgerald was operating under its own power, "although her propulsion is limited".

 

A spokesman for the U.S. 7th Fleet said the ship was heading back to Yokosuka under its own power at 3 knots.

 

BUSY WATERWAYS

 

It was unclear how the collision happened. "Once an investigation is complete then any legal issues can be addressed," the 7th Fleet spokesman said.

 

The waterways approaching Tokyo Bay are busy with commercial vessels sailing to and from Japan’s two biggest container ports in Tokyo and Yokohama.

 

The USS Dewey and two Navy tugboats had been dispatched to provide assistance, the Navy said.

 

Japan's public broadcaster NHK showed aerial footage of the destroyer, which had a large dent in its right, or starboard, side. Images broadcast by NHK showed it had been struck next to its Aegis radar arrays behind its vertical launch tubes.

 

The images showed what appeared to be significant damage on the deck and to part of the radar. NHK also showed footage of the container vessel and said it was heading towards Tokyo under its own power.

 

The 7th fleet said the collision was with the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal. At around 29,000 tons displacement it is about three times the size of the U.S. warship.

 

Japan's Coast Guard said none of the 20 crew members aboard the merchant vessel were injured.

Such incidents are rare.

 

In May, the U.S. Navy's USS Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel but both ships were able to operate under their own power.

 

The 7th Fleet commander, Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin thanked the Japanese Coast guard in a post on the fleet's Facebook page, adding: "We are committed to ensuring the safe return of the ship to port in Yokosuka."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-17

It brings to mind the time, several yrs ago, that a US armored personnel carrier was barreling down a S.Korean road, turned a corner at speed, and crushed two Korean schoolgirls.   Big war machines require big responsibilities.

1 hour ago, tomacht8 said:

Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

Americans: This is the captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.

Canadians: No, I say again, you divert YOUR course.

Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE 
           UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS 
           AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH. 
           THAT'S ONE-FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE 
           SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.

Sometimes we are just too nice. The French would have let it  scuttle.

4 hours ago, YetAnother said:

what happened to good old radar ?

 

Well the USN ship has radar that can see for a hundred miles or more but looking at the photo in the "other" newspaper it seems to have been hit on the starboard side around the bridge area.

 

To me, that would mean it was crossing the bows of the freighter, and the freighter would not be able to make an emergency turn or stop as easily as the navy ship.

 

If I was asked for an opinion I would say that the fault lay in the USN ships handling and is far less likely the freighters fault.

 

If my opinion is right that the USN crew, especially the Officer of the watch are in trouble and the ships Captain has lost his career, even if he was asleep at the time of the collision. The buck stops with him.

I hope the missing sailors are found, but that does not seem very likely.

 

Accidents happen, mistakes are made, part of life.

As an American Navy man, the Commanding Officer will be relieved of duty. Maybe court martialed, but he will definitely be given his walking papers. This was a stupid accident, which never should have occurred. The CO of the Navy men that allowed Iran to take them into custody,was also court martialled and given his walking papers home and a bus ticket. These Navy men do not meet the high standards of the US Navy! I'm sure more will get their walking papers when the full accident report is completed. 

1 hour ago, quadperfect said:

Yes but since the cole there is a minimum distance any vessel big or small is allowed to approach a war ship.If you enter this space you get fired upon.So this ship should have been fired on, not ramed.

Its really pathetic. Unless there is some kind of story behind the story.

Like the navy ship running dark and manuvering near this ship. They do usually run dark no ais no lights etc.

Somone really screwed up.

 

 

minimum distance allowed ???

fired upon ???

 

says who ???