Thread: US destroyer collides with merchant vessel near Japan

So what is the go Storey? Is there really 7 guys missing?

Give us the good oil from Yokosuka...

Originally Posted by Maanaam

Indeed, lol. But in your case in point, I believe (though will stand to be corrected) that motor gives way to sail.

Yes, although, again, that would be a rule best weighed on the merits of the situation - as the pic illustrates!

^ Google ... U.S. 7th Fleet Facebook ... you'll be as up to date as I am.

The container ship ACX Crystal.




http://heavy.com/news/2017/06/acx-crystal-container-ship-photo/
http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:722169/vessel:ACX_CRYSTAL

Search and rescue efforts continue by U.S. and Japanese aircraft and surface vessels in the hopes of recovering the seven USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) still unaccounted for after it was involved in a collision with the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, June 17, while operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan

At this time there have been three patients requiring medical evacuation. One was Cmdr. Bryce Benson, Fitzgerald's commanding officer, who was transferred to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka by a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter. All three Sailors are awake and will remain under observation at the hospital until further notice. Two additional personnel have been medevac'd from Fitzgerald to USNH-Yokosuka by Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 (HSC-12) for lacerations and bruises. Other injured are being assessed aboard the ship.

http://www.c7f.navy.mil/us-japan-sar-efforts-continue-for-7-missing-fitzgerald-sailors/

the rule is that the bigger ship has always priority,

simple common sense, since smaller ships can react faster than the bigger ones

sail has no priority in every case,

that's what I remember from my small boat captain license

obviously the skipper didn't read the manual on sailing good practices

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by Maanaam

Who gives way, a 29,000 ton vessel or an 8,000 ton vessel?

At sea size does not matter. A vessal should give to the vessal on it's starboard side.

In this case ĺl appears neither vessel detected the other. Inexcusable for a Navy destroyer with all the high tech sensors and folks on bridge watch. The Navy captian is looking at serious consequences.

That's putting it mildly. I read that there's an injured sailor or two on the USN vessel.

'The ship was hit near 2 berthings and 1 engineering compartment. It is likely that the berthings had crewman sleeping due to the early hour of the incident.'

USS Fitzgerald involved in collision with merchant vessel | Daily Mail Online

Rules of the road are one thing, but turning circle and acceleration, azipods and such also have a major bearing.

Propulsion: 4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines, two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Electric_LM2500

It looks like the USN vessel has no azipods and twin props, so along with it's much shorter length, it could certainly turn a lot quicker and accelerate away if it had to. They would've see it plodding towards them for ages!

No azipods, but two props, and up to 30kts, it will have a much smaller turning circle than the cargo ship

The cargo ship does about 17kts max, so roughly half as fast, and (along with the shape of the stern) it suggests it only has one prop.
Vessel details for: ACX CRYSTAL (Container Ship) - IMO 9360611, MMSI 548789000, Call Sign DYUG Registered in Philippines | AIS Marine Traffic

Originally Posted by CaptainNemo

They would've see it plodding towards them for ages!

They would have for sure on surface search and navigation radars. The nav radar has anti collision software which would indicate miles away the course to steer to avoid collision. Heavy traffic with multiple radar contacts but had to be some major foul ups involved here.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Do ships have friend or foe systems or international ID's?

Yes. Called automatic identification system (AIS).

Originally Posted by Pragmatic

Originally Posted by Thedogsbollix

The outcome will be a Captain reamed anally sideways and drummed out of the Service. As he should be.

Hung drawn and quartered before the investigation. Tough crowd in today.

His ass will be hung out to dry.

I admit I know little being a civi but it's brutal.

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Hate to speculate but if I were to hazard a guess it's probably going to come down to lack of adequate training/qualification of the Officer of the Deck. Not only will the CO be relieved of command but most likely the XO who is in charge of the shipboard training program.

Read somewhere the CO had assumed command just over a month ago.

Ouch.

Career over.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Mid Channel at night was time for a good pair of eyes, in all directions.

That's fair enough OhOh, but we're talking about a US Navy destroyer here that would have multiple layers of early warning systems and countermeasures being monitored by a highly trained team to detect supersonic incoming ordnance. It would all kick into gear when any threat of danger was still over the horizon. But somehow, a freighter travelling at perhaps 25kts has managed to make direct contact.

Looking forward to hearing how this was possible...

Originally Posted by Headworx

Looking forward to hearing how this was possible...

Indeedy. Kind of incredible with all the enemy detection tech on a modern destroyer that a collision with a slow moving behemoth like that freighter was possible.

It's a busy sea out there. Most folks don't realize how busy. Still agree US navy ship should not be getting hit by another vessel.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais...ry:35.5/zoom:4

Originally Posted by Looper

Indeedy. Kind of incredible with all the enemy detection tech on a modern destroyer that a collision with a slow moving behemoth like that freighter was possible.

and 9/11? With the NORAD etc.? Or was it all switched off? Or was it ...?

Hey Klondyke, I think some muppet started a thread on that somewhere. You should check it out!



Remember to read it right from the start so as not miss any essential details or conjectures.

Captain's Rule Number 1: Ships should not directly touch anything else that 's not water based. This includes land, other ships, etc. Even air based craft such as planes and helicopters are questionable as they are land based things touching upon a sea based craft.

Originally Posted by Headworx

Looking forward to hearing how this was possible...

It was crewed by Americans so anything is possible. At least there were no casualties due to friendly fire and that has to be a step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by Digby Fantona

It was crewed by Americans so anything is possible. At least there were no casualties due to friendly fire and that has to be a step in the right direction.

The dark state has already put out a memorandum saying their computers were able to briefly take control of the American ship.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by CaptainNemo

They would've see it plodding towards them for ages!

They would have for sure on surface search and navigation radars. The nav radar has anti collision software which would indicate miles away the course to steer to avoid collision. Heavy traffic with multiple radar contacts but had to be some major foul ups involved here.

I know, I've been on the top fronty bit of a floaty thing before, matey...

Provided there are no fatalities, I'm pretty sure Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt could have a field day with this.
Busy shipping lane.
US Navy Ship avoiding a collision with a cargo vessel.
Is rammed almost head on by another cargo vessel with crew asleep at the helm.

Search is on for 7 missing US sailors, cause of ship collision off Japan



Search is on for 7 missing US sailors, cause of ship collision off Japan - CNNPolitics.com