USN and Russian warships come within 100 feet of each other, narrowly avoid collision, Navy says
By: CAITLIN DOORNBOS | STARS AND STRIPES - Published: June 7, 2019
RE:
https://www.stripes.com/news/pacific...-says-1.585033
1st Photo:
https://www.stripes.com/polopoly_fs/..._900/image.jpg
USS Chancellorsville is shown here in 2018.
2nd Report: RE:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russian...ay-2019-06-07/
2nd Photo:
https://cbsnews1.cbsistatic.com/hub/...ntercept-2.jpg
A Russian destroyer nearly collided with an American guided-missile cruiser in the Philippine Sea, the U.S. Navy said.
PENTAGON
The USS Chancellorsville on Friday morning avoided a near-collision with Russian destroyer Udaloy I in the Philippine Sea, with the ships coming between 50 to 100 feet of each other, according to a 7th Fleet statement.
"This unsafe action forced Chancellorsville to execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision," Doss said.
The Chancellorsville was recovering one of its helicopters “on a steady course and speed” when the Russian ship came from behind and to the right of the U.S. vessel, “accelerated and closed to an unsafe distance,” 7th Fleet spokesman Cmdr. Clay Doss said in the statement.
“This unsafe action forced Chancellorsville to execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision,” Doss added.
Reuters reported Friday evening that Russian media blamed the U.S. for the near-collision, saying that it was the Chancellorsville that had done the “dangerous maneuvering.”
The Reuters report added that Russian media said the Udaloy I took “emergency action to avoid a collision” when the U.S. ship came within 50 meters of the Russian ship.
Doss stood by 7th Fleet’s description of the events when questioned about the Russian claims.
“We consider Russia's actions during this interaction as unsafe and unprofessional and not in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 'Rules of the Road' and internationally recognized maritime customs,” Doss said in the statement.
The incident comes amid increased military finger pointing between Washington and Moscow. On Tuesday, a U.S. aircraft flying in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea was intercepted three times by a Russian fighter jet during a 175-minute period, according to the 6th Fleet. Last month, U.S. warplanes intercepted Russian bombers and fighter jets off the Alaskan coast for two days in a row.
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Personal note: This game of "chicken" could get our of hand!
Boats