US navy ship in collision

[Bad_azz]

Again...
"Ten sailors are missing and five have been injured after a US destroyer collided with an oil tanker off the coast of Singapore, the US Navy says."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-40995829

 

[lifelongexpat]

Considering both ships are most likely well equipped with the latest marine electronics and sizeable craft, mystified how things like this happen...

 

[Anglian]

Sadly this is the 2nd mishap this year, what are they smoking, the lose of life is unacceptable

 

[Bad_azz]

apparently its the 4th incident is the past 12 months. Smoking / drinking or just incompetent? Hardly striking fear into their enemies when they cannot steer the ship.

 

[Davita]

apparently its the 4th incident is the past 12 months. Smoking / drinking or just incompetent? Hardly striking fear into their enemies when they cannot steer the ship.

Good point B_A....given the military exercises between S. Korea and USA started today what more propaganda does this provide the N. Koreans with...they may feel emboldened to think the US Navy couldn't fight its way in a fog!
I don't know what is the reason but I wouldn't be surprised if the mariners were using high-tech screens, and iphones, and nobody simply looking out of the frigging window. Basic common sense and ship navigation protocol.
According to my own yacht navigation knowledge...the basic rules are....
1. When two power-driven vessels are approaching head on, both vessels should alter course to starboard to pass port-side to port-side.
2. When two power-driven vessels are in crossing situation, on a collision course, give way to the vessel to starboard.
This collision, given the navy ship was struck on the port stern, would seem to blame the container ship.

 

[steveandpenny]

Unbelievable that a war ship could allow any ship that close to it in open water.

 

[Davita]

Unbelievable that a war ship could allow any ship that close to it in open water.

I was on a cruise ship leaving Singapore in that collision area last December and it isn't open water...in fact, I was surprised how many ships are either anchored, or in transit, until we got into open waters travelling north past Malaysia's east coast en-route to Bangkok. Even so there are also lots of locals fishing well off-shore.
Our ship had to manoeuver between this and I remarked, as I was sipping wine in the cocktail bar overlooking the ocean, how skilled the crew were to steer in-between this apparent chaos.

 

[steveandpenny]

Not this time

 

[Davita]

More info suggests both ships were in the same direction inbound to Singapore. A transponder map of activity, just before the collision, shows the tanker taking an assumed avoiding port turn. The map doesn't show the position, nor heading, of the destroyer.... probably as it's a military ship and its location would be secret.

There is already conspiracy that the N. Koreans are hacking the USA satellite GPS system...possible?