Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf Injures 11-Navy

reuters.com ^ | Thu May 8, 2003 11:44 AM ET | Reuters

[Destro]

Explosion on U.S. Warship Near Gulf Injures 11-Navy Thu May 8, 2003 11:44 AM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Eleven U.S. Marines were injured on Wednesday in an explosion in a trash container aboard the amphibious assault warship USS Saipan in the northern Arabian Sea, the Navy said. None of the injuries was life-threatening, although one of the eleven was evacuated to an American Army field hospital in Kuwait for treatment of a serious arm injury, the U.S. 5th Fleet said in a statement. Others were being treated aboard the ship.

The cause of the explosion was under investigation, the Navy said. The 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain.

'The explosion occurred in a trash receptacle in Marine berthing, piercing a bulkhead and injuring personnel in the adjacent compartment,' the statement said.

The injured personnel were members of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and deployed to the Gulf region in support of military operations in Iraq.

The Saipan is one of a class of big U.S. Navy vessels that look like small aircraft carriers. They carry several thousand Marines along with about 50 helicopters and assault aircraft.

[HairOfTheDog]

Huh.... Normal garbage doesn't explode... Will be curious to find out about this. Glad no one was killed.

[Joe 6-pack]

Although the possibility of terrorism looms, and should not be discounted, a U.S. warship is a preetty secure place. My bet is that some Marine thought better about his, "war trophy," souvenier, and ditched it in the dumpster.

[MEG33]

My fear,too.

[HairOfTheDog]

Or just cleaning rags with solvent on them.... some of that stuff shouldn't just be tossed in the trash. Could be an accident like that more likely than anything intentional.

[Blood of Tyrants]

No, not cleaning rags. There is a report that the trash container was in an adjacent compartmetn and blasted through a bulkhead.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Doesn't make sense. When you want to get rid of something at sea, you simply throw it overboard after dark. Since most Navy ships travel in blackout condition, no one would ever see you.

[tracer]

This also works well for CPOs and officers who turn out to be major-league clymers -- big-time and world-class.... 8~)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Earlier post from Foxnews with extensive comments here:

FNC Alert: Explosion on USS Saipan in Persian Gulf; 11 Marines injured

[HairOfTheDog]

Will be looking for news of what happened!

[Michael2001]

Were there any Muslims on board.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Here is the other link.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/907914/posts

[Area51]

Where was GW and what did he know?

[Blood of Tyrants]

I have heard of more than one sailor who disappeared at sea. If the perp can keep their mouth shut, there is virtually no way that they can prove it wasn't an accident. Usually though, the perp rats himself out.

[tracer]

Been there, haven't done that, got the T-shirt (Mediterranean and elsewhere).....

[Destro]

This should have remained in the breaking news section a little longer - not my post but the first posted report of this incident.