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Groton-based sub collides with U.S. naval ship in Mideast

1:40 PM Fri, Mar 20, 2009 |
Richard Salit    Email

US Navy Ships Collide.JPG
In this undated photo released by the U.S. Navy, the starboard bow of the Los Angeles class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS Hartford is seen anchored off the US Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Md. AP photo / U.S. Navy, Don S. Montgomery

The collision between a Groton, Conn.-based submarine and another U.S. Navy ship in the Mideast Thursday night brought about 100 sailors' family members to a chapel at Submarine Base New London Friday morning, according to a Navy official.

There the families were told by Navy officials that the approximately 140 crew members aboard the nuclear-powered USS Hartford had escaped the incident almost unscathed.

"We told them there were no major injuries. There were some very, very minor injuries," said Lt. Patrick Evans, a spokesman for the base. "Everyone was medically fit to continue their jobs.

"They were understandably concerned but also relieved with the information that they received."

Evans said the Hartford sailors typically live in the region while assigned to the subarmarine and he could not specify whether any had grown up or lived in Rhode Island previous to their deployment.

The Hartford collided with the USS New Orleans, an amphibious ship, around 5 p.m. Thursday, in the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and the Arabian peninsula, the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet reported.

There was no damage to the sub's nuclear propulsion system, said Lt. Nate Christensen, a 5th Fleet spokesman.

The military said in a statement that the incident occurred around 1 a.m. local time on Friday (5 p.m. EDT, Thursday).

According to the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, 15 sailors aboard the Hartford were slightly injured but able to return to duty. No injuries were reported aboard the New Orleans.

Both ships were heading to port and were going in the same direction when the incident occurred in the narrow strait, said 5th Fleet spokesman Christensen. He said the incident occurred at night and the submarine was submerged at the time, but that he could give no further details as the collision is still under investigation.

The incident comes a month after a collision between French and British submarines at an undisclosed location in the Atlantic Ocean.

Both vessels are now heading to port for repairs and evaluation, but Christensen said that following standard security procedures he could not say where the vessels were headed.

The New Orleans suffered a ruptured fuel tank, resulting in an oil spill of approximately 25,000 gallons (95,000 liters) of diesel fuel.

Both ships are currently operating under their own power.

The Navy said both ships were on regularly scheduled deployments to the region and conducting security operations.

With reports from the Associated Press

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Comments

Harold said:

Obama's fault

Link | March 20, 2009 2:01 PM
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