World

7 missing after US Navy destroyer collides with merchant vessel off Japan

7 missing after US Navy destroyer collides with merchant vessel off Japan

TIL Desk/World/Tokyo/ Seven crew members are reportedly missing and one injured after a United States Navy destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan, the country’s coast guard reported. The commanding officer of the ship, Cmdr. Bryce Benson, is among the injured according to a statement by the US Navy.

USS Fitzgerald suffered damage to its starboard side above and below the waterline in the incident. Benson was one of four injured sailors who needed to be flown to a naval hospital in Yokosuka, Japan.

US Navy Chief of Naval Operations Adm John Richardson said four sailors were medevaced. Other injured sailors are being assessed, the navy said. The two ships collided in the Pacific Ocean about 56 nautical miles off the coast of Yokosuka. The damage to the Fitzgerald resulted in some flooding. The vessel was taking on water after the incident, but the crew was working to stabilise the ship by pumping water out of the hold.

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