Another US warship, tanker collide; 10 sailors missing
Ten U.S. sailors are missing after a collision between the USS John S. McCain and a tanker early Monday off Singapore, the second accident involving a ship from the Navy’s 7th Fleet in the Pacific in two months.
The Navy said five sailors were hurt in the collision between the guided-missile destroyer and the 183-meter Alnic MC, an oil and chemical tanker.
Four of them were evacuated by a Singaporean navy helicopter to a hospital in the city-state for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, and one did not require further medical attention.
The McCain had been heading to Singapore on a routine port visit after conducting a freedom of navigation operation last week by sailing near one of China’s man-made islands in the South China Sea.
The destroyer was damaged on its port side aft, or left rear, from the collision that happened at 5:24 a.m., the Navy’s 7th Fleet said, but was heading to port under its own power.
The Singapore government said no crew were injured on the Liberian-flagged Alnic, which sustained damage to a compartment at the front of the ship some 7 meters above its waterline.
Singapore sent tugboats and naval and coast guard vessels for the search and rescue effort.
Malaysia’s navy chief Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin tweeted that two ships as well as aircraft from its navy and air force were helping with the search for the missing sailors.
The Navy said Osprey aircraft and Seahawk helicopters from the USS America were assisting in the search. An investigation would be conducted, it added.
The collision was the second involving a ship from the Navy’s 7th Fleet in the Pacific in two months.
Seven sailors died in June when the USS Fitzgerald and a container ship collided in waters off Japan.
President Donald Trump tweeted that “thoughts and prayers” are with the McCain’s sailors as search and rescue efforts continue.
The 154-meter McCain is named after U.S. Sen. John McCain’s father and grandfather, who were both U.S. admirals. It’s based at the 7th Fleet’s homeport of Yokosuka, Japan.