Looking at the ship’s damage he could have been in his at sea cabin, located close to the bridge. Night steaming orders for the bridge crew will
often include a standing order to wake up the Captain for any vessel traffic within a specific distance.
I am curious how much experience the Officer of the Deck had - a rookie who drew the midwatch because he was junior, or their best man so the Captain could sleep soundly? I would also like to know where the Captain was, what he was doing, and how much notice he had of the impending close encounter. If he was notified late, was this another Captain who liked his sleep and retaliated against those who woke him up for small stuff (it happens, no matter what the written standing orders and SOP might say)? Was there a faulty transition from XO to CO, where the officers never fully saw their former XO as the Captain?
I’m glad I don’t have to do the investigation or analysis on this one; it will be ugly. Note: I have friends who recently left the Fitz. I haven’t heard from them yet and probably will not post online when I do.