Seven U.S. Navy sailors are dead after the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel off the coast of Japan.
A search for seven missing sailors had been begun after the collision between the Fitzgerald and the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal, which is about four times the size of the destroyer, happened about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka at 2:30 a.m. local time. The collision tore into the starboard side of the destroyer’s superstructure above and below the waterline, and sailors spent hours fighting flooding in two berthing compartments, a machinery space and radio room, the Navy said.
The Fitzgerald was towed back to base in Yokosuka, and Saturday evening a statement from the U.S. 7th Fleet said that the bodies of seven dead sailors were found in a berthing area of the vessel below the waterline. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the sailors had drowned.
“They are currently being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified. The families are being notified and being provided the support they need during this difficult time. The names of the Sailors will be released after all notifications are made,” the statement read.
The investigation is ongoing.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the sailors’ death.
Three other crew members, including the ship’s commanding officer Cmdr. Bryce Benson, were medically evacuated and are now awake and under observation at U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka. The ship returned to its homeport of Yokosuka this morning Washington time, 16 hours after the collision.
Earlier in the day, the Japanese Coast Guard led a search for the missing sailors, along with the destroyer USS Dewey, a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and Japanese navy ships, helicopters and a P-3 Orion surveillance plane.
Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, 7th Fleet commander, was at the pier to greet the ship along with family members earlier in the day. “This has been a difficult day,” Aucoin said. “I am humbled by the bravery and tenacity of the Fitzgerald crew. Now that the ship is in Yokosuka, I ask that you help the families by maintaining their privacy as we continue the search for our shipmates.”
“I want to highlight the extraordinary courage of the Fitzgerald Sailors who contained the flooding, stabilized the ship, and sailed her back to Yokosuka despite the exceptionally trying circumstances,” said Rear Adm. Charles Williams, Task Force 70 commander.
No one aboard the Crystal was hurt and the ship was back at port on Sunday, according to CNN.
President Trump shared his “thoughts and prayers” for the Fitzgerald sailors late Saturday morning.
“Thoughts and prayers with the sailors of USS Fitzgerald and their families. Thank you to our Japanese allies for their assistance,” the president said Saturday morning on Twitter, just as he and the first family were traveling to Camp David for the weekend.
Thoughts and prayers with the sailors of USS Fitzgerald and their families. Thank you to our Japanese allies for their assistance. https://t.co/d1l5ctjNyB
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2017
Vice President Mike Pence said he and his wife Karen are sent their prayers to the sailors of the Navy vessel.
Karen and I join @POTUS in keeping the sailors of the USS Fitzgerald & their loved ones in our prayers. https://t.co/WUfyW2XwqS
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) June 17, 2017
Dave Brown contributed to this report.
