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US Warship Collides with Supply Vessel in Caribbean, Two Injured

A US Navy destroyer, the USS Truxtun, collided with a supply ship, the USNS Supply, during a replenishment-at-sea operation in the Caribbean. Two personnel sustained minor injuries but are in stable condition, with both vessels able to continue sailing. The cause of the incident is unclear and is currently under investigation by US Southern Command. The collision occurs amid a significant US naval buildup in the Caribbean ordered by the Trump administration to combat drug trafficking.

Key Points: US Warship Collides with Navy Supply Ship in Caribbean

  • Collision during refueling operation
  • Two minor injuries reported
  • Both ships remain operational
  • Incident under investigation
  • Part of US naval buildup in Caribbean
2 min read

Two injured in collision between US warship, supply vessel in Carribean

Two minor injuries reported after USS Truxtun and USNS Supply collide during refueling operation in the Caribbean. Incident under investigation.

"Two people reported minor injuries and are in stable condition, and both ships have reported that they are able to continue sailing safely - Colonel Emmanuel Ortiz"

Washington DC, February 13

Two people reported minor injuries on Wednesday when a US warship and a Navy supply vessel assigned to the military buildup in the Caribbean collided during a ship-to-ship refuelling, according to a military spokesman, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply collided during a replenishment-at-sea, according to US Southern Command spokesman Colonel Emmanuel Ortiz. Two people reported minor injuries and are in stable condition, and both ships have reported that they are able to continue sailing safely, Ortiz told the Wall Street Journal.

The cause of the collision isn't yet clear, and the incident is under investigation, Ortiz said. The exact location of the collision wasn't immediately available. The Truxtun left its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, on February 6 to begin its scheduled deployment. The supply has been operating in the Caribbean. A military official said the collision was in the Southern Command area of responsibility, which includes the Caribbean and parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific, as per the Wall Street Journal.

US President Donald Trump ordered a massive naval buildup in the Caribbean in recent months to support his campaign against drug traffickers in the region. There are 12 warships in the US Southern Command, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford and its strike group, as per the Wall Street Journal.

Underway replenishments involve transferring supplies and fuel between two ships sailing side-by-side. Ships like the Supply are owned by the Navy but primarily operated by civilian mariners.

Collisions involving Navy warships are relatively rare and can be deadly. Seventeen sailors died in two separate collisions between Navy destroyers and merchant ships in the Pacific in 2017. On June 17, 2017, the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with MV ACX Crystal, a Philippine-flagged containership, about 90 miles from Japan, killing seven sailors.

Just two months later, on August 21, Liberian-flagged tanker Alnic MC struck the destroyer USS John S McCain in the busy waterway of the Strait of Malacca near Singapore, ripping a hole in the hull and drowning another 10 sailors, as per Wall Street Journal.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

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Sarah B
This reads like a procedural failure. The article mentions the 2017 incidents in the Pacific. You would think after such tragic losses, the protocols for these maneuvers would be foolproof. Hope the investigation is thorough and leads to better training, not just for the US but as a lesson for all navies.
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Arjun K
A massive naval buildup in the Caribbean just for the drug war? Seems like a very expensive and heavy-handed approach. Could those resources be better used elsewhere? Glad the sailors are okay, but the strategic reasoning behind such a large deployment is questionable.
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Priya S
The skill required for ship-to-ship refueling is immense. Hats off to the mariners, both military and civilian, who do this tough job. Minor injuries in such an incident is actually a testament to their training. Hope they recover quickly.
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Vikram M
Reading about the 2017 accidents was chilling. 17 sailors lost. It puts this minor collision into perspective. The ocean is unforgiving. Constant vigilance is needed, no matter how advanced the technology. Our own Indian Navy faces similar challenges in the Indian Ocean.
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Karthik V
Interesting that the supply ship is operated by civilian mariners. Makes you think about the coordination required between military and civilian crews during high-stakes operations. A slight miscommunication could lead to disaster. Thankfully it wasn't worse this time.

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