Search for missing US sailors

A MAJOR search is under way for seven missing US sailors after their ship collided with a container vessel four times its size off the coast of Japan.

The damaged USS Fitzgerald, flanked by two tug boats and other support vessels, arrived back at its home port – Yokosuka Naval Base, south of Tokyo – yesterday.

Crew members from the USS Dewey had helped stabilise the damaged destroyer after it collided with the container ship – leaving at least three sailors injured, in addition to the seven missing.

The seven sailors are thought to have been thrown into the sea or possibly trapped inside damaged sections of the destroyer.