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Reuters

The crew of the USS Fitzgerald was likely at fault in the warship’s collision with a Philippine cargo ship in June and had not been paying attention to their surroundings, according to initial findings in an investigation, a US defence official said on Friday.
Multiple US and Japanese investigations are under way into how the USS Fitzgerald, a guided missile destroyer, and the much larger ACX Crystal container ship collided in clear weather south of Tokyo Bay in the early hours of June 17.
The collision tore a gash below the Fitzgerald’s waterline, killing seven sailors in what was the greatest loss of life on a US Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed in Yemen’s Aden harbour in 2000.

“There was not a lot that went right leading up to the crash. There were a string of errors, but they did a lot after the collision to save lives and the ship,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The official said that in addition to crew members not paying attention to their surroundings, they did not take action until it was too late.
While the investigation is not complete, the official said crew members had given statements and radar data had been gathered, and it was unlikely the findings would change.
A US Navy spokeswoman said the investigation was in the early stages and it was premature to speculate on the causes.

The incident has spurred a number of investigations, including those by the US Navy and a probe by the United States Coast Guard on behalf of the National Transportation Safety Board. The Japan Transport Safety Board and the Philippines government are conducting separate investigations.
Last month Reuters reported that an account of the incident by the Philippine cargo ship’s captain said that the US warship had failed to respond to warning signals or take evasive action before the collision. The ACX Crystal had been chartered by Japan’s Nippon Yusen KK.


Crew of US destroyer were likely at fault for collision with cargo ship

USS Fitzgerald as it sails into its mother port US Naval Yokosuka Base, Kanagawa prefecture. Photo: AFP

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, damaged during a collision with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel, is seen at a dock of the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo on July 11, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. THIS PICTURE WAS PROCESSED BY REUTERS TO ENHANCE QUALITY. AN UNPROCESSED VERSION HAS BEEN PROVIDED SEPARATELY.

FILE - In this Sunday, June 18, 2017, file photo, journalists observe the damaged USS Fitzgerald at the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka, southwest of Tokyo, one day after its collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal in the waters off Japan. Japanese authorities said Thursday, June 22, they have obtained a data recording device from the container ship to help determine why it collided with the U.S. destroyer, killing seven American sailors. Japanese transport safety officials said they obtained the voyage data recorder, similar to an airplane's "black box," from the ACX Crystal, which is currently docked in Yokohama near Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Skipper of cargo ship that almost sank US destroyer sailed in ‘same direction’ at time of deadly collision

While the cause of the accident remains a mystery, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK said the ACX Crystal had made a sharp turn shortly before the collision with the US destroyer

epa06034600 Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, Commander of the US 7th Fleet, speaks during a press conference as the damaged US Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald is seen in the background at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo, Japan, 18 June 2017. Media reports state that seven US Navy sailors were found dead earlier in the day in the destroyer after it collided with the container ship ACX Crystal off the coast of Yokosuka on 17 June. EPA/FRANCK ROBICHON

Photo taken June 17, 2017, from a Kyodo News helicopter shows the Filipino container vessel ACX Crystal sailing in the Pacific after colliding with the U.S. Navy's guided-missile destroyer Fitzgerald off Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. The accident has left seven crew members of the destroyer unaccounted for and three injured. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

The U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald returns to Fleet Activities (FLEACT) Yokosuka following a collision with a merchant vessel while operating southwest of Yokosuka, Japan in photo received June 17, 2017. Courtesy of U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald at the US naval base in Yokosuka, Japan. Photo: Kyodo

Search for missing navy crew after US destroyer collides with  container ship off Japan

US destroyer’s commander among the injured and has been evacuated

The damage of Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal is seen off Izu Oshima, Japan, after it collided with the USS Fitzgerald, Saturday, June 17, 2017. The Japan coast guard said it received an emergency call from a Philippine-registered container ship ACX Crystal early Saturday that it had collided with the USS Fitzgerald. (Iori Sagisawa/Kyodo News via AP)

In this hand out photo from Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force taken on June 17, 2017 an injured crew member of the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald is carried on a stretcher after arriving at the US naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture. The US Navy destroyer collided with ACX Crystal cargo ship off the coast of Japan, leaving seven crew members from the American vessel unaccounted for, the Japanese Coast Guard said. / AFP PHOTO / Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force / STR / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == NO ARCHIVE

epa06032421 A handout photo made available by the 3rd Regional Coast Guard Headquarters shows the damaged container ship ACX Crystal after its collision with the US Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald off the coast of Yokosuka, Japan, 17 June 2017. Latest media reports state that seven US Navy crew members are missing and one was injured. EPA/JAPAN COAST GUARD HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

This picture shows the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald next to a tugboat off the Shimoda coast after it collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship on June 17, 2017. The US Navy destroyer collided with ACX Crystal cargo ship off the coast of Japan, leaving seven crew members from the American vessel unaccounted for, the Japanese Coast Guard said. / AFP PHOTO / JIJI PRESS / STR / Japan OUT

The damaged USS Fitzgerald arrives at US Naval Yokosuka Base. Photo: AFP

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