The U.S. military will continue its search for 10 sailors who went missing Sunday morning when a merchant ship collided with the USS John S. McCain in the Pacific Ocean, the Navy announced late Monday Eastern time.
“Ships and aircraft from the Royal Malaysian Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy joined search efforts yesterday and continue to provide assistance. Search efforts are focused on an area east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore where McCain was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Alnic MC early in the morning on Aug. 21 (as reported 6:24 a.m. Japan Standard Time) while transiting to Singapore for a routine port visit,” the Navy said in a statement.
Aircraft from the USS America, as well as the Republic of Singapore’s Navy Fearless-class patrol ships Noble Pearl and Noble Knight, will also help with the search for the guided-missile destroyers missing crewmen.
The Navy said the ship sustained “significant hull damage that resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms.”
The Navy has ordered a full review of the accident and a similar one that took place in June when the USS Fitzgerald collided with a commercial container ship. Seven U.S. sailors died in that crash.
Both incidents were among U.S. 7th Fleet ships, which are based in Yokosuka, Japan.
The USS John S. McCain has since returned to the Changi Naval Base.
