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USS Fitzgerald collides with container ship off Yokosuka, Japan
USS Fitzgerald is taking on water and being pumped out. Seven sailors missing. Collision was at 0230 hours local time. I'm afraid that the 7 sailors missing will be found when they get the ship in drydock and the flooded compartments dewatered. The damage is smack in the middle of the berthing area in the forward section of the ship. Looks like the anchor of the container ship did most of the damage above the main deck.
http://americanmilitarynews.com/2017/06/us-navy-destroyer-collides-with-merchant-ship-off-coast-of-japan-and-is-taking-on-water-seven-sailors-reportedly-missing/?utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=alt&utm_source=popsmoke
PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 27, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) transits the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Karen Blankenship/Released)
The US Navy statement also added:
“USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, June 17, while operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan.
Although Fitzgerald is under her own power, USS Dewey (DDG 105) got underway this morning as well as several U.S. Navy aircraft, and will join Japanese Coast Guard and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters, ships and aircraft to render whatever assistance may be required.
http://americanmilitarynews.com/2017/06/us-navy-destroyer-collides-with-merchant-ship-off-coast-of-japan-and-is-taking-on-water-seven-sailors-reportedly-missing/?utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=alt&utm_source=popsmoke
PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 27, 2012) The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) transits the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Karen Blankenship/Released)
The US Navy statement also added:
“USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, June 17, while operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan.
Although Fitzgerald is under her own power, USS Dewey (DDG 105) got underway this morning as well as several U.S. Navy aircraft, and will join Japanese Coast Guard and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopters, ships and aircraft to render whatever assistance may be required.
“I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
― Douglas Adams
― Douglas Adams
Replies
Jerry
My first thought when I heard the news....what a mess...
I read about one collision where the masters were expecting the other to move over without radio or signal confirmation.
:uhm:
Hint: the other ship involved in the wreck sank
Jerry
Picture is familiar but my brain can't place it.
I remember this one, though. I was on another ship when it happened. USS Belknap and USS Kennedy collision in 1975.
― Douglas Adams
I am waiting for that explanation.
1956
That would be the Stockholm that collided with the SS Andrea Doria
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
collision avoidance systems similar to aircraft. First clue 0230 hrs. Someone is
in big trouble aboard that Navy ship no matter what the other ship was doing.
This is how I see it too. Even if the container ship did everything wrong and was running blacked out... naval careers have ended, with the only unknown being the separation date.
Prayers for the missing and for their families. Heck, for everybody involved.
George Carlin
Yep. Even if the container ship was hijacked by a crazed North Korean conducting a suicide mission, it seems that a Navy missile ship should have been able to protect itself.
I remember taking a harbor boat tour on San Diego bay about 15 years ago when I visited my nephew. Pretty impressive seeing 3-4 Nimitz Class carriers moored close together but - didn't the Navy learn their lesson on Dec 7th? :jester: The only thing separating the carriers and other naval vessels from civilian and commercial traffic was a pathetic line of buoys and rope just 100' or so from the carriers.
Hell, my boy's boat, a 45 footer, has radar and you can see fish jumping, much less a huge ship! So the sun goes down we need to put out the anchor and wait til sun up? BS! 75 years ago we had some horrific battles at sea in places like the Solomons where everything happened at night and there were a whole lot of confusion with everybody dodging shells and torpedos and more than two ships in tight quarters and there were very few mishaps like this. Sounds like somebody was asleep.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Yep, I think that was in the spring or summer of 56 if I remember correctly. I remember, I think I was in the second grade or about to start it. Ships had been having radar a long time then too. I think somebody was asleep in both cases.
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
the way i see things, there could be only 2 ships on the whole ocean and they would find a way of getting into a collision. My way of thinking is that they were playing flinch. And no one flinched. also, when i was was playing on sail boats, the bigger boat always got the right of way. But i guess i read from a different book than others. I follow the same when it comes to life. If something bigger than me or what I'm in is coming my way, i give way. It may not be the manly thing to do, but I'm still here too.
also, when i was riding horses alot, there would be only 2 of us in a 50x100 meter arena. Never mind who else but everytime we would somehow find a way to get in each others way, no matter the riders or arena.
- Don Burt
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
If the helmsmen were playing flinch or Chicken as is commonly known with a Navy ship then somebody needs to swing from the yardarm. That's just dumb.
I'm more inclined to believe somebody was asleep. Somebody had the right of way and somebody was cuttin' zzzs
Son that's somebody with nothing to do with his time but keep me in trouble with mom.
Unless procedures have drastically changed since the 1970s there would be a lookout on both the port and starboard bridge wings. Usually, but not always, boatswains mates pulled that watch, and the only time the watch is suspended is during times when the waves would wash them off the bridge wings. There would be someone on the bridge with their face stuffed in the radar repeater screen watching the screen for any 'targets'. And there would be radar geeks in the CIC also watching their screens for 'targets'. I just don't see how that happened IF the bridge crew and others who SHOULD HAVE been paying attention were actually paying attention.
That Navy ship is also HIGHLY maneuverable and could easily dodge a container ship without breaking a sweat. Everyone on the bridge and the CIC are going to get some serious consequences for this failure to maintain awareness.
― Douglas Adams
Being the investigation involves military, the general public may not be completely informed.
Have to wait until all the facts are in.
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
Ya beat me to it.
It is REQUIRED BY MARITIME LAW that *if* you have RADAR, there MUST be a RADAR watch kept.
Doesn't mean there is, but there you go. The container ships that barrel along at 30+ kts off the west coast are notorious for not keeping a RADAR watch - and they apparently don't have radios either. You can yell at them on 16 all you like, and never get a response...
This is the USS Fitzgerald DDG military ship. I am at a loss as to how this happened.
Still it seems a collision should have been avoided with all the stuff they have on-board those ships these days.
Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!
Also, radar takes time to indicate course and speed changes, especially given these reports about erratic maneuvering by the merchant, the closer the distance the less time there is to indicate course and speed changes and even less time to avoid the collision.
Then again these "reports" are also indicative of one of the Navy's most cherished traditions of DC or damage control, and I ain't talking putting out fires. Essentially: CYA!