Two U.S. Navy Ships Collide in Caribbean During Replenishment Operation
Two United States Navy vessels operating in the Caribbean Sea collided on Wednesday during a replenishment-at-sea operation, leaving two personnel with minor injuries, according to officials from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM). The incident involved the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG-103) and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6).
The collision occurred while the ships were conducting a routine logistics maneuver known as replenishment-at-sea (RAS). This complex and inherently dangerous procedure requires two vessels to steam alongside one another at close quarters—often separated by less than 200 feet—while matching speed and course to transfer fuel, ammunition, and other supplies via tensioned cables and hoses.
Col. Emmanuel Ortiz, a spokesman for U.S. Southern Command, confirmed the incident in a statement released on Thursday. “Yesterday afternoon, the USS Truxtun and the USNS Supply collided during a replenishment-at-sea,” Ortiz said. He reported that two personnel sustained minor injuries during the mishap but remain in stable condition. It was not immediately specified whether the injured sailors were aboard the destroyer or the support vessel.
Despite the collision, both ships have reported that they remain seaworthy and are sailing safely under their own power. A preliminary damage assessment is currently underway to determine the extent of the structural impact on both vessels. SOUTHCOM has stated that the cause of the collision is not yet clear and that a formal investigation into the incident has been launched.
The USS Truxtun had departed its home port of Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia earlier this month for a scheduled deployment. The destroyer is currently operating as part of a heightened U.S. naval presence in the Southern Command area of responsibility, which encompasses the Caribbean Sea and waters surrounding Central and South America. The deployment is part of a broader initiative to support maritime security operations and counter illicit trafficking in the region.
Collisions during replenishment operations are considered rare given the frequency with which the U.S. Navy conducts them globally. However, the maneuver leaves little margin for error, as the hydrodynamic forces between two large ships moving in parallel can pull the vessels together if proper separation is not meticulously maintained.
The USNS Supply, manned largely by civilian mariners under the Military Sealift Command, serves as a critical logistics backbone for Navy strike groups, providing the fuel and dry goods necessary to sustain extended operations at sea without returning to port. The USS Truxtun is a multi-mission destroyer capable of conducting anti-air, anti-submarine, and anti-surface warfare.
U.S. Southern Command has not disclosed the precise location of the collision for operational security reasons, noting only that it took place within the Caribbean operating area. Updates regarding the investigation and the condition of the ships are expected as more information becomes available.
* indiatimes.com
* kvnutalk.com
* aa.com.tr
* newsweek.com
* washingtonpost.com
