A U.S. Navy destroyer built at Bath Iron Works collided early this morning with an oil tanker three times its size east of Singapore off the Straits of Malacca in the South China Sea. The Navy reported that 10 sailors are missing and that the USS John S. McCain was significantly damaged in the collision.
Four injured sailors were medically evacuated by a Singapore Armed Forces helicopter to a hospital in Singapore for non-life threatening injuries, the Navy reported. Â A fifth injured sailor did not require further medical attention.
Search and rescue efforts continue in coordination with Singapore patrol ships and a Singapore Coast Guard vessel. The collision is under investigation.
Additionally, helicopters and MV-22 Ospreys from the amphibious assault ship USS America are in the area providing search and rescue assistance.
The ship that collided with the McCain is a Liberian-flagged 600-foot oil and chemical tanker with a gross tonnage of 30,000.
Earlier collision resulted in seven deaths
Today’s collision is the second time this summer that a BIW-built Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the Navy’s 7th Fleet was seriously damaged in a collision with another vessel in Asian waters.
The USS Fitzgerald, which was launched at BIW in 1994 and commissioned a year later, collided on June 17 with a Philippine-flagged container ship in waters off Japan, resulting in the deaths of seven sailors and injuries to several others.
The Fitzgerald was towed to a dry dock in Yokosuka, Japan, to evaluate damages, which U.S. Naval Institute News reported could amount to $500 million, according to several naval analysts who spoke to the newspaper.Â
National Public Radio reported the U.S. Navy has relieved the USS Fitzgerald’s commander and two other senior leaders of their duties while also praising the crew for saving their ship after June 17 collision.Â
“It was also evident from this review that the entire Fitzgerald crew demonstrated real toughness that night,” the Navy told NPR. “Following the collision these sailors responded with urgency, determination and creativity to save their ship.”