US Navy: 7 missing sailors found inside damaged destroyer USS Fitzgerald, June 2017

[Hiandmighty]

US destroyer collided with a merchant ship at 2:30 am in sea of Japan. 7 sailors missing: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...erald-involved-collision-merchant-vessel.html

 

[GigTu]

US destroyer collided with a merchant ship at 2:30 am in sea of Japan. 7 sailors missing: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...erald-involved-collision-merchant-vessel.html

With ALL of the technology available to a US Navy destroyer, which would never be traveling alone and always in a group (most likely surrounding a nuclear aircraft carrier), how could a ship NOT see the merchant ship on the radar and have plenty of time to change course or take some other evasive action that would avoid such a collision? Seems like someone was (literally?) asleep at the wheel. I sure hope those crew members are found and are okay. This is an unnecessary mistake, and loss of life of some of our finest would be tremendous tragedy.

 

[GreyClay]

From the BBC:

Seven US Navy crew missing after collision off Japan

8 minutes ago

Seven US Navy crew members are missing after their ship collided with a merchant vessel off the coast of Japan.

A number of people are also reportedly hurt, with one evacuated by helicopter.

The crash involving the Navy destroyer USS Fitzgerald happened 56 nautical miles (103km) south-west of the city of Yokosuka at about 2:30am local time (18:30 BST) on Saturday.

Japan's public broadcaster, NHK, showed aerial footage of the US ship with heavy damage on one side.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40310563

 

[Jax49]

How in the world did they manage to collide?

 

[GreyClay]

Looks like significant damage:

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, damaged by colliding with a Philippine-flagged merchant vessel, is seen off Shimoda, Japan in this photo taken by Kyodo June 17, 2017. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

 

[GigTu]

US destroyer collided with a merchant ship at 2:30 am in sea of Japan. 7 sailors missing: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...erald-involved-collision-merchant-vessel.html

One more update: http://www.c7f.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/1217674/uss-fitzgerald-collision-update/

 

[Meryl12]

The above article stated that the USS Fitzgerald was sailing in formation with the USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagon and they were also training with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, all this really makes one wonder how on earth the collision happened. It could only happen if someone was literally asleep at the wheel. JMOO
Ships - especially great big warships that weigh about 80,000 tons probably more - can't just hit the breaks and screech to a stop, I think they take about a mile or more to stop quickly.
This is so tragic, these military personnel are so well trained, it makes this such a terrible loss. At 2.30 am local time, most of them would have been sleeping in their bunks and would not have know what happened.
JMOO

 

[MIKAYOYO]

I'm so distressed over this. I have a niece in the navy and I haven't heard back from her parents. Praying for all.

 

[MIKAYOYO]

I'm so distressed over this. I have a niece in the navy and I haven't heard back from her parents. Praying for all.

She's fine. She's here in Norfolk. Thank God!

 

[MIKAYOYO]

Heartbreaking.

Young sailor is identified as one of the seven missing at sea

http://dailym.ai/2sCwmaa

 

[CARIIS]

Breaking now

They found them all deceased in the bulkholds
MS
NBC

 

[Bently]

The bodies of the seven missing were found inside the ship where it was crushed.

http://www.11alive.com/mb/news/nati...de-damaged-destroyer-uss-fitzgerald/449993209

 

[MIKAYOYO]

Breaking now

They found them all deceased in the bulkholds
MS
NBC

Omg Noooo! So sad.

 

[Bently]

With ALL of the technology available to a US Navy destroyer, which would never be traveling alone and always in a group (most likely surrounding a nuclear aircraft carrier), how could a ship NOT see the merchant ship on the radar and have plenty of time to change course or take some other evasive action that would avoid such a collision? Seems like someone was (literally?) asleep at the wheel. I sure hope those crew members are found and are okay. This is an unnecessary mistake, and loss of life of some of our finest would be tremendous tragedy.

Agree .. it seems intuitively obvious that both the ships should have been in communication prior to impact, and both ships would have seen it on radar that the impact was going happen, and to be able to evacuate the area of anticipated impact where the seven bodies were found.

Tragic

 

[CARIIS]

Agree .. it seems intuitively obvious that both the ships should have been in communication prior to impact, and both ships would have seen it on radar that the impact was going happen, and to be able to evacuate the area of anticipated impact where the seven bodies were found.

Tragic

If it was not on purpose they are kinda like a train take a hard time to stop - especially if the water is pushing them


it seems like there would have to be something wherein one of them lost control of something and could not correct -- that is why the on purpose crossed my mind

like if the smaller one lost ability to get out of way or something ??

 

[michmi]

I had heard on the radio earlier that the collision was right where the berthing area of the ship was and knew right then they had passed away. So sad. Either every system failed at the same time for this to happen or a huge leadership error was made and you can be sure people's careers will end over this, not that it will bring back any of the sailors who died.

 

[GreyClay]

All seven bodies have been recovered, which will hopefully bring some comfort to the families:

Seven missing US Navy sailors found dead after collision off Japan

All seven sailors missing after the USS Fitzgerald collided with container ship off Japan have been found dead, the US Navy and Japanese media says.

The collision happened in the early hours of Saturday morning, and a search party started working as a helicopter evacuated three injured crew.

The US Navy said rescue workers found the bodies after gaining access to damaged parts of the ship.

It said they will be taken to a Japanese hospital to be identified.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40317341

 

[Meryl12]

The ship that collided with the USS Fitzgerald was a container ship and it would have had enough technology to know the USS Fitzgerald was there. I think it is quite obvious that someone was asleep at the wheel of the container ship. JMOO The USS Fitzgerald can't just jump on the brakes and screech to a stop, an 80,000+ ton (or more) warship takes about a mile or two or three to slow down or stop.
JMOO
I am sure the facts will be established in some sort of enquiry. A lot of people will want to know what happened.

 

[Meryl12]

I have just heard that the container ship it collided with was three times the size of the USS Fitzgerald. That at least explains the extent of the damage on the Fitzgerald, it won't bring the seven deceased sailors back to us.

 

[MIKAYOYO]

I have just heard that the container ship it collided with was three times the size of the USS Fitzgerald. That at least explains the extent of the damage on the Fitzgerald, it won't bring the seven deceased sailors back to us.

I'm curious as to which ship hit the other. Seems like it would be difficult to cross paths as both are huge and probably don't move real fast. Either way I'm so sad to hear of the loss of life. Seems preventable but I'll withhold my judgement for now. Prayers to the sailors who lost their life and their families.