Update | 10 sailors missing after US destroyer John S. McCain and tanker collide east of Singapore
Second collision between a US warship and a merchant ship in Asia in two months
Ten US sailors were missing after a collision between a destroyer and a tanker near Singapore on Monday, the second involving a US warship and a merchant ship in Asia in about two months, triggering a fleet-wide probe of operations and training.
The guided-missile destroyer John S McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided while the warship was heading to Singapore for a routine port call. The collision tore a hole in the warship’s waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area, the US Navy said.
“Initial reports indicate John S McCain sustained damage to her port side aft,” it said in a statement. “There are currently 10 sailors missing and five injured.”
US Defence Secretary James Mattis said Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson would conduct a broad investigation into US naval operations after the collision.
The destroyer had made its way to Singapore’s Changi Naval Base by Monday afternoon under its own power.
Significant damage to the hull had resulted in flooding to compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms, the Navy said, but crew members were able to stop the flooding.