General 7 sailors missing after US Destroyer collides with merchant ship off Japan coast

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Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,412
57,814
USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship yesterday. Seven US sailors are missing. It is unknown whether they were knocked overboard during the collision or if they are trapped inside the damaged portion of the ship.

The ship is taking on water but not currently in danger of sinking.

"The collision affected Fitzgerald's forward starboard side above and below the water line, causing significant damage and associated flooding to two berthing spaces, a machinery space, and the radio room," according to a statement from US 7th Fleet.

The statement hinted that the missing sailors could be trapped in the damaged area of the destroyer.

"It remains uncertain how long it will take to gain access to the spaces once the ship is pier side ... to methodically continue the search for the missing," the statement said.

The two ships collided around 1:30 a.m. local time Saturday in the Pacific Ocean, about 56 nautical miles southwest from the port of Yokosuka and 12 miles off the Izu Peninsula, the Japanese coast guard said.

US Navy destroyer collision near Japan: 7 sailors missing - CNNPolitics.com





 
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Mix6APlix

The more you cry, the less I care.
Oct 20, 2015
12,918
13,449
How the hell does a US NAVY vessel with the most advanced radar systems on earth crash into anything it doesn't want to?
 

Mix6APlix

The more you cry, the less I care.
Oct 20, 2015
12,918
13,449
Reminds me of when the stupid navy guy wanted to, I honestly don't know the term, but surface at a high rate of speed (if it were a whale it would be breaching) to show off to a vip on a ridealong, and smashed into a Hawaiian fishing vessel.
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
4,173
Reminds me of when the stupid navy guy wanted to, I honestly don't know the term, but surface at a high rate of speed (if it were a whale it would be breaching) to show off to a vip on a ridealong, and smashed into a Hawaiian fishing vessel.

Besides a collision there is nothing similar.
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
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I hope they find them. Ive spent time on the Fitz and have known many people on that boat. Most I am sure have long transferred. This is the shit that kept me awake at night. Accidents happen and people usually die. Its a horrible unfortunate accident that isn't supposed to be happening.

The list of preventive measures is so long to list. From radar to the Bow look out after lights out. There should have been a look out standing right where the damage is. Fucker had to of been asleep. All the collision alarms and audible noises should have alerted people. How could people on the bridge not see a fucking container ship? So many things went wrong. It should have come up on a dozen radars. Automated collision systems.

This really smells like the ship was dead in the water when they collided. If that were the case they might not of had steering and might have not had vital electrical power. I used to do maintenance on the ships batteries, they dont last long.

Or all this can also happen if the lose air. Yep, no compressed makes a ship absolutely useless.
 

seekntruth

#keepladyhands
First 100
Jan 18, 2015
5,788
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Apparently the maritime tracking of the cargo ship is very erratic prior to the collision.
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
4,173
is there any way this ends with the captain of that boat keeping his command?

Keeping his Command is the least of his concerns, but no it's highly unlikely. We don't know happened yet. He could possibly go to jail. Someone is going to have to be responsible for the entire incident and that usually is the CO. I really think there had to be a major Engineering Casualty for this to happen.
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
4,173
Apparently the maritime tracking of the cargo ship is very erratic prior to the collision.

For them to be close enough to collide both sides made mistakes. From the collision pics it looks like the container ship had the right away. And that DDG is smaller more maneuverable. The Fitz should have yielded to the Container ship. Guess what happens when they don't?
 

teamquestnorth

Lindland never cheated
Jan 27, 2015
15,422
28,258
The Captain will be relieved of duty within the next few days I imagine.

Pulling in and out of Asian ports is crazy as fuck.

With that said, still not sure how you slam into a huge merchant ship like that.

Then again these are surface ship sailors we're talking about.

"Short bussers" as their known in the Navy.

Anyone with any intellect went sub surface.
 

Hauler

Been fallin so long it's like gravitys gone
Feb 3, 2016
45,412
57,814
I hope they find them. Ive spent time on the Fitz and have known many people on that boat. Most I am sure have long transferred. This is the shit that kept me awake at night. Accidents happen and people usually die. Its a horrible unfortunate accident that isn't supposed to be happening.

The list of preventive measures is so long to list. From radar to the Bow look out after lights out. There should have been a look out standing right where the damage is. Fucker had to of been asleep. All the collision alarms and audible noises should have alerted people. How could people on the bridge not see a fucking container ship? So many things went wrong. It should have come up on a dozen radars. Automated collision systems.

This really smells like the ship was dead in the water when they collided. If that were the case they might not of had steering and might have not had vital electrical power. I used to do maintenance on the ships batteries, they dont last long.

Or all this can also happen if the lose air. Yep, no compressed makes a ship absolutely useless.
Appreciate the insight. I've never been on a boat that large before. What is the acceleration / deceleration rate and turn radius of a 500' Destroyer?
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
4,173
Appreciate the insight. I've never been on a boat that large before. What is the acceleration / deceleration rate and turn radius of a 500' Destroyer?

I'm not exactly sure, I was an Engineer who worked below decks before leaving the Surface Fleet to do better things. I can tell you it will accelerate and decelerate so fast we had to put limits on it. The boat cant take the stress. iirc 30+ knots but it wouldn't have been doing anything near that.

Well actually lol, it can maneuver fast enough to throw my ass out of my rack in the night. They can actually maneuver pretty well. the more I think about it, none of it makes sense. They had to have suffered a major engineering casualty. That was my dept. This is all really bad.


This is in the Philippine Sea, also around the location of the where USS Indianapolis went down. 1200 people died in the water, about 325 survived. I just think its crazy we have people missing in roughly the same area. I'm sure by now the entire 7th fleet is looking for them.
 

seekntruth

#keepladyhands
First 100
Jan 18, 2015
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I read somewhere that the 700' cargo ship hit the destroyer at 18knots. Can't find where I read it.
 

drjones

Banned
Apr 25, 2016
761
852
Keeping his Command is the least of his concerns, but no it's highly unlikely. We don't know happened yet. He could possibly go to jail. Someone is going to have to be responsible for the entire incident and that usually is the CO. I really think there had to be a major Engineering Casualty for this to happen.
yeah i was just re-reading your post before this one, seems likely.

although there was an accident between two US Navy boats a long time ago iirc, maybe early 80's? i dont think there was any equipment malfunction they just somehow managed to fuck up and hit each other. i dont recall the exact circumstances but i think they were involved in somewhat technical maneuvers at night and made some big mistakes.
 

drjones

Banned
Apr 25, 2016
761
852
regarding the missing sailors - it sounds like they havent even ruled out that they are still on the ship? (in the damaged section)

maybe they have sorted that out on site and it just hasnt hit the news yet. either way its not likely to be a happy ending...

edit - for some reason i thought it had been two days now since this happened, its just over 24 hours

"“Though the ship is back in Yokosuka it remains uncertain as to how long it will take to gain access to the spaces in order to methodically continue the search for the missing.”"
 
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drjones

Banned
Apr 25, 2016
761
852
bad run for our Navy in Japan;

Navy CO Fired After Ship Runs Aground in Japan | Military.com

The ship ran aground while anchoring in Tokyo Bay on Jan. 31, damaging its propellers in the process. The incident caused the ship to dump a significant amount of oil -- 1,100 gallons, according to a Navy Times report -- into the water. No American or Japanese personnel were injured in the incident, and officials from both countries were involved in efforts to contain the spill.

The Navy has not released any additional information about what caused the incident or the extent of damage to the Antietam.
 

BJTT_Pella

I want to go fishing.
Jun 25, 2015
2,936
4,173
yeah i was just re-reading your post before this one, seems likely.

although there was an accident between two US Navy boats a long time ago iirc, maybe early 80's? i dont think there was any equipment malfunction they just somehow managed to fuck up and hit each other. i dont recall the exact circumstances but i think they were involved in somewhat technical maneuvers at night and made some big mistakes.
That happens sometimes, you just hope it isn't too bad. It happened when I was on the Hewitt (DD-966). When 2 Navy ship conducting operations like underway replenishment or refueling at sea the likelihood hood of an incident is pretty good actually, many steps are taken to mitigate risk but it will always be there. It's just the nature of it.

When a Navy ship Collides like this with a civilian container ship in open water bad things had to of happened even be in that situation. It should never happen. There are just so many systems and the human element to keep it from happening.