Posted on 06/17/2017 3:16:48 AM PDT by topher
tory Number: NNS170616-20Release Date: 6/16/2017 4:57:00 PM
From U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs
PHILIPPINE SEA (NNS) -- USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, June 17, while operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan.
As of this time, there have been two patients requiring medical evacuation. One was Cmdr. Bryce Benson, Fitzgerald's commanding officer, who was transferred to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka and is reportedly in stable condition. A second MEDEVAC is in progress. Other injured are being assessed. There are seven Sailors unaccounted for; the ship and the Japanese Coast Guard continues to search for them.
Although Fitzgerald is under her own power, USS Dewey (DDG 105) got underway this morning as well as several U.S. Navy aircraft, and will join Japanese Coast Guard and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters, ships and aircraft to render whatever assistance may be required.
"U.S. and Japanese support from the Navy, Maritime Self Defense Force and Coast Guard are in the area to ensure that the Sailors on USS Fitzgerald have the resources they need to stabilize their ship. As more information is learned, we will be sure to share to it with the Fitzgerald families and when appropriate the public. Thank you for your well wishes and messages of concern. All of our thoughts and prayers are with the Fitzgerald crew and their families," said Adm. John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations.
"Right now we are focused on two things: the safety of the ship and the well-being of the Sailors," said Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. "We thank our Japanese partners for their assistance."
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
For more news from U.S. Pacific Fleet, visit www.cpf.navy.mil.
It will be interesting to learn who coordinated the damage control and rescue phase. My money is on the ship's new XO, with two months on the job, and that he leaned heavily on the Engineer/DCA. I've called "Captain to the Conn (or Bridge)" several times, but I've never called the XO. The XO's first warning may have been a collision alarm, the ship's whistle sounding the danger signal, or even the screeching and groaning of metal twisting.
Here is the thing.
In industry, I am required to wear PPE that impedes function all the time. So much that it can cause a hazard.
But we do it because it might save a life.
I have often laughed at the “Safety” regs in government service. Simply put, I (as in myself) would be arrested for what passes as safety in government sectors would be done in my plant.
The Pacific ocean off Japanese waters are subject to radar “ducting” phenomena where the humidity and temperature blocks surface search radar reception.
When conditions of water humidity and temperature are right, and the antenna is high enough off the water, radar waves will be deflected higher into the atmosphere.
This reduces radar range to dangerously short ranges for surface vessels.
See:
http://www.splashmaritime.com.au/Marops/data/text/Radartex/Radartex_files/image083.jpg
As USS Fitzgerald was operating at 2:00 am local time in a dense fog for local conditions. All of which is perfect for radar ducting to occur.
So I gather that you can’t just set it on auto and go, you have to make constant adjustments in real time?
Good link. Interesting pictures there. Thanks. How does the U.S. ship not notice a cargo ship? And no way the cargo ship is going to be able to change course or stop.
They are pumping water out of that thing with a few extra lines. Hull must be cracked below water level.
Container ships and tankers really do set it on auto and go. They aren’t supposed to, but they do in the open ocean, and they get away with it far more than 99.9% of the time. That’s why warships are supposed to stay alert.
I was on the Roosevelt CV42 when- On 12 January 1977, Roosevelt collided with the Liberian grain freighter Oceanus while transiting the Strait of Messina. Both ships were able to proceed to port under their own power.
What Wikipedia and other publications do Not say-
We were traversing- AT night (like Fitzgerald)
We were in a “controlled” sea lane -so many Large ships-
that there are rules for maneuvering in that strait-
We made it back with 1 slight casualty- the grain ship
Sunk at the pier- the Captain was relieved of command
immediately- (others disciplined)
I never understood why were traversing this narrow strait in the middle of the night-
( as a side note- our bow was Bent- we could not get up
to full speed after that- and the ship shook like crazy)
we use to laugh - and say we were getting up to “Ramming
Speed!”lol- our Chief and 1st lieutenant put an end to
our humor- because of the careers that were ruined
The container ship had the right of way, absent that, the Fitz being smaller and the more maneuverable of the two vessels should have stayed well clear of the other ship. Fitz is not going to fare well in the accident investigation.
English translation of headline: "Navigating in the same direction and colliding" Container ship crew explains US Aegis
No new word on 7 missing sailors.
The pictures at the Daily Mail site show the damage.
Bunnyslippers posted the link upthread...
It’s bad, but could have been a lot worse.
Prayers out for the sailors and their families.
well definitely, Navy has a greater responsibility
at their tail?
lol
The bridge was damaged too so in all likely hood the commander was on the bridge, not on deck.
How would they have done that?
My guess is some kind of dereliction of duty on the part of the US personnel.
I agree completely.
Your statement above appears contradictory on its face.
Not trying to be needlessly argumentative but (1) if the vessels were the same size and maneuverability, the vessel coming from the right or starboard would have the "right-of-way". That would put the containership in the clear and the naval ship in the wrong.
(2)In this case, the navel vessel had all the maneuverability and the container ship had little. Compared to the later, the destroyer could turn, stop and otherwise maneuver on a dime. It is like pulling on a railroad crossing in front of a 60 car train.
The hull is stove in below the waterline - there’s other photos at better angles and you can see where the bulbous dome at the front of the container ship bashed the hull in.
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