I’m well aware of how different the two situations are. But the issue of situational awareness and continual close monitoring of a ship’s surroundings exists always, everywhere. A mere “navigational error” does not begin to describe how a US Navy destroyer ends up in a collision at sea with an enormous cargo ship.
I never said it was a "mere" navigational error. I agree that situational awareness is always required, but I think the Fitzgerald and the Cole situations were completely different circumstances.