Statement from Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer on USS John S. McCain

[The Patriot]

Statement from Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer on USS John S. McCain



The following is a statement by Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer on USS John S. McCain, which was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21.

[Boats]

Search underway for missing sailors after US destroyer collides with ship near Singapore
By: Brandon Morse 8-21-17 last hour
RE: http://www.theblaze.com/news/2017/08...ear-singapore/

(On site only: The USS John S. McCain, a U.S. destroyer ship, collided with an oil tanker in the South China Sea, where the warship was conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations to secure trade routes from China. (Image source: NBC News screenshot)

The U.S. guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with a merchant vessel Monday morning near Singapore. Singaporean ships and the U.S. Navy are searching for 10 missing sailors. Five were reportedly injured.

According to Fox News, the collision between the USS John S McCain and the 30,000-ton, 600-foot Liberian Alnic MC oil tanker occurred at 6:24 a.m. Japan Standard Time. Damage to the ship resulted in flooding to crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms, according to the Navy.

The Navy did not immediately reveal exactly how the two massive ships collided, but the Navy reported that it is treating the incident as an accident.

According to Fox News, the ship limped under its own power to the Changi Naval Base in nearby Singapore.

After the collision, a search began for 10 missing sailors by American, Singaporean and Malaysian armed forces, according to Fox News. According to NBC News, Singapore has dedicated four ships from its Navy to the search effort, as well as three tugboats from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

U.S. helicopters and Ospreys from the USS America are also assisting in the search for the missing sailors.

NBC News reported that five sailors were hurt during the crash, but none have suffered life-threatening injuries. Four were helicoptered out by the Singaporean Navy. One, who suffered only minor injuries, stayed with the ship.

According to NBC News, this is the fourth incident of a collision by an American Naval vessel in under a year.

Why this warship is important

The USS John S McCain is a ship that takes part in the U.S.-led Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP) in the South China Sea.

The warship was involved in a maneuver earlier this month that would keep China from claiming sole ownership of trade routes used by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. This trade route sees $5 trillion in ship-borne trade pass through it every year.

U.S. officials are concerned about China’s construction of man-made islands, believing it an attempt to expand its land mass, and claim ownership of the South China Sea trade routes. The USS John S McCain’s recent FONOP is the third, and least ambiguous maneuver to challenge China’s ownership of the South China Sea trade routes. The warship navigated just 12 miles off of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands.

U.S. officials contend that some of these islands are man-made, and include military installations. China, however, denies this.

While many countries rely on these trade routes, they are reluctant to earn the ire of China, and rely on the U.S. and its power to push back on China’s claims to the routes.

Both Beijing and Washington have a high interest in the recourse-rich trade route. In order to keep it out of Chinese hands, the U.S. must consistently display a great show of military might to keep China at bay. The Navy has yet to say whether or not a warship will replace the USS John S McCain in the meantime.

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Another report

USS John S McCain collision: Pentagon chief pledges 'broad' probe into US Navy accidents
By: Asia Pacific Reporter 8-21-17
Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...-probe-9144480

AMMAN: US Defence Secretary James Mattis on Monday (Aug 21) said the Pentagon will undertake a broad investigation into multiple accidents after the second severe collision involving a US Navy ship in two months.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the sailors and families of the USS John McCain," the destroyer which collided with a tanker off Singapore early Monday, leaving 10 sailors missing and five injured, Mattis said during a visit to Amman.

The search for the missing sailors will continue through the night, and Singapore authorities have said they would spare no effort trying to find them.

Mattis said the US Navy's chief of naval operations, Admiral John Richardson, would investigate what lies behind collisions by US ships belonging to the Yokosuka, Japan-based 7th Fleet in the past year, including the McCain and the destroyer USS Fitzgerald, which was smashed by a cargo ship in June off Japan in an accident that killed seven American sailors.

"The chief of naval operations' broader enquiry will look at all related accidents, incidents at sea, that sort of thing. He is going to look at all factors, not just the immediate one," Mattis said.

USS John S McCain collision: What we know so far

SINGAPORE: Five US Navy sailors are injured and another 10 missing after guided-missile destroyer USS John S McCain collided with an oil tanker early on Monday morning (Aug 21) off the coast of Singapore.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway for the missing sailors.
Here's what we know so far about the incident:

WHAT HAPPENED?

The USS John S McCain collided with the merchant vessel Alnic MC at around 5.30am while the warship was heading to Singapore for a routine port call, the US Navy said.
Five sailors were injured, and four of them were taken to the Singapore General Hospital by helicopter with non-life threatening injuries. The fifth sailor did not need further medical attention, the US Navy said.

A further 10 US sailors were reported missing after the collision.

WHERE DID THE INCIDENT TAKE PLACE?

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said in separate Facebook posts that the collision took place in Singapore's territorial waters.
After the collision, the US warship made its way to Changi Naval Base. In an update posted at around 4pm, the US Navy confirmed that the ship had arrived at the base.

The Alnic was proceeding to Raffles Reserved Anchorage, "where the owners will investigate the matter", an unnamed crew member told Reuters.

The Liberian-flagged, 183-metre-long tanker was carrying nearly 12,000 tonnes of fuel oil from Taiwan to discharge in Singapore, according to the crew member.

WHAT'S THE DAMAGE?

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), which is leading the search and rescue operation, said traffic in the Singapore Strait was unaffected and that there were no reports of oil pollution.

However the collision caused damage to both the USS John S McCain and the Alnic.

In a statement, the US Navy said that the warship had sustained "significant damage to the hull", resulting in flooding to nearby compartments including crew berthing, machinery and communications rooms.

According to MPA, the Alnic sustained damage to its forepeak tank 7m above the waterline.

SECOND SUCH REGIONAL COLLISION IN 2 MONTHS

This is the second time in the past two months where a US guided-missile destroyer has been involved in a collision in the region.

In June, the USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine container ship off the coast of Japan. Seven navy sailors were killed, and two senior officers and the senior enlisted sailor on the Fitzgerald were removed after the incident.

The latest accident has raised questions about the US Pacific fleet and whether it is taking on too much as it tackles multiple challenges.

Source: CNA/nc

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...-probe-9144480