Navy Missile Cruiser Runs Aground Near Honolulu

Fox News ^ | February 7, 2009

[Zakeet]

Navy officials say an attempt to pull free a 9,600-ton warship that ran aground off the coast of Honolulu has been unsuccessful.

The U.S. Pacific Fleet says Navy tugboats and salvage ship USS Salvor tried to tow the USS Port Royal early Saturday but the guided missile cruiser remained stuck.

The Navy says it plans to try again after extracting fuel and water from the $1 billion vessel.

The 9,600-ton ship, while carrying guests that included a rear admiral, ran aground Thursday night on a sandy, rocky bottom. The cause of the grounding, as well the extent of the damage to the ship, remains under investigation.

An initial effort by Navy tugs early Friday to free the guided missile cruiser USS Port Royal also was unsuccessful.

[pabianice]

Pearl is notorious for its shallow, sandy, bottom, always shifting with the currents and storms. One notes that when the Japanese sunk our battleships there they just settled a little deeper before hitting bottom, topsides still above the water.

[Nicholas Jenkins]

I believe it is one of only three Aegis cruisers with BMD capabilities. This would create a real shortage in our defenses, particularly with Obama in no hurry to deploy additional BMD.

[bikerman]

And they call Coasties shallow water saliors ha ha.Fear not the Coast Guard will save them.

[Ramius]

Judging from the photo she looks hard aground.

Yah. Ouch.

while carrying guests that included a rear admiral

Ow... double ouch. But at least the guests had a memorable day.

[ApplegateRanch]

doesn't that ship seem REALLY close to shore?

Half mile off, at the airport.

Maybe the admiral wanted a lift from the dry docks, to catch a flight?

Seems an odd spot to be off-loading shore-based officials, including a rear admiral.

[B-Cause]

Some poor Swab is in a lot of trouble over this!

---

It's Bush's Obama's Fault!

[ExpatGator]

Yep.

[Joe Boucher]

How can you not see that shoal area?
Night time.

[GonzoGOP]

If she is on sand its going to be a matter of removing all the fuel and ammo then waiting for high tide. But there appear to be breakers around it. If she is pinned on the rocks its not so much a guided missile cruiser, but a new artificial reef.

[misanthrope]

I was on the USS Enterprise when she ran aground in S.F. Bay.
It was pretty dam funny except that it extended our 6 month cruise by about 14 more hours.

[llevrok]

Shoals 1
Squid 0

[IrishCatholic]

Ok,I get the latest Aegis radars the fiber optic communications, etc. But didn't anyone look out the window?
Those pictures are pretty ugly. I understand there is more to the incident, but heck, when a surfer has to go around you to continue to surf, you are a bit close. When the guys swabbing the deck can order from a drive through, you are a bit close.
I feel sorry for the captain.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

I guess the skipper of that boat will not make REAR admiral even though he has proven to be in aREARS with respect to navigational ability.

[Liberty Valance]

*I can see Rush Limbaugh out on the golf course from the wheel house*


Wait a minute ... yep. He's waving!

[BallyBill]

I'm sure some Somali Pirates are having a good, “Arghh” over this.

[Cicero]

“I can see Russia from my front window.”

[org.whodat]

Swab, some ships captain needs to brush off those retirement papers and start looking for a new job.

[org.whodat]

which occurred about a mile and a half from the entrance to Pearl Harbor, are under investigation.

There goes the old uncharted waters BS.

[Liberty Valance]

L0L!

[chemicalman]

Just hope it isn’t the same person that surfaced the sub on the Japanese tuna fishermen some years back. They were carring guest, also.