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10 US Navy Sailors Missing After Destroyer Collides With Merchant Ship

Published

7 years ago

August 21, 2017

Ten US Navy sailors are missing after a US Navy guided-missile destroyer collided with an oil tanker east of Singapore early Monday, the fourth accident in Asian waters involving a US warship in 2017.

The Navy’s 7th Fleet said the USS John S. McCain collided with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while the destroyer was making its way to a port visit in Singapore. The collision was reported at 5:24 am local time, east of the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s most congested shipping routes.

Images from Reuters news agency on Monday afternoon showed a huge, dark hole along the McCain’s waterline on the left rear portion of the ship.

The Navy reported significant hull damage to the McCain, saying there was flooding in berthing compartments as well as machinery and communication rooms.

No fuel or oil was seen on the water near the ship, which steamed under its own power to Changi Naval Base in Singapore, arriving Monday afternoon, the Navy said.

Malaysian officials said their ships and aircraft had joined the search for the missing sailors.