{"id":19812,"date":"2017-08-20T23:54:39","date_gmt":"2017-08-20T23:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/08\/20\/navy-destroyer-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-vessel\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:03:30","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:03:30","slug":"navy-destroyer-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-vessel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/naval\/2017\/08\/20\/navy-destroyer-john-s-mccain-collides-with-merchant-vessel\/","title":{"rendered":"Stricken destroyer John S. McCain arrives in Singapore, 10 crew still missing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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What is known following the collision between the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) and the merchant vessel Alnic MC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

The destroyer John S. McCain arrived at Changi Naval Base in Singapore mid-afternoon Monday after a harrowing collision with a commercial tanker that has left 10 crew-members missing and five others wounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is the second major collision involving a U.S. Navy warship attached to U.S. 7th Fleet in recent months, following the June 17 collision involving the destroyer Fitzgerald <\/a>off the coast of Japan, in which seven sailors died. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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US Navy destroyer USS John McCain collides with Liberian-flagged tanker Alnic MC in the Strait of Malacca Aug, 21. Two months prior, destroyer Fitzgerald (DDG-62) collided with Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Four sailors with non-life threatening injuries were evacuated off the destroyer John S. McCain earlier to a hospital in Singapore Monday morning, according to 7th Fleet officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fifth injured sailor did not require medical attention, the Navy said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search and rescue efforts involving U.S. and Singaporean assets near the scene of the collision are ongoing as of 3 p.m. local time, 3 a.m. on the east coast, according to a Navy statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSignificant damage to the hull resulted in flooding to nearby compartments, including crew berthing, machinery, and communications rooms,\u201d the command said. \u201dDamage control efforts by the crew halted further flooding.\u201d
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The collision occurred in a highly trafficked area just east of the Malacca Straits, according to Malaysian officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don’t want to speculate how the incident happened, but this area — it’s a busy area, considering the two vessels are about to enter the traffic separation scheme,\u201d said Adm. Datuk Zulkifili Abu Bakarthe, head of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, in a Monday press conference.
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About 80,000 vessels transit the strait annually through the strait, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ship suffered heavy flooding in two crew berthings and in a space known as \u201dshaft alley,\u201d through which runs the shafts that connect to the engines to turn the ship\u2019s propellers, according to an early internal report reviewed by Navy Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collision with the Liberian-flagged merchant vessel Alnic MC happened while the U.S. ship was underway east of Singapore and the Strait of Malacca at 5:24 a.m. local time, according to Navy officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amphibious assault ship America also arrived in Singapore Monday and is moored across from the McCain to provide the stricken ship\u2019s crew with a place to eat and sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike the collision between the destroyer Fitzgerald and the ACX Crystal off Japan in June, much of the crew would be up and preparing to eat breakfast and turn over watch stations at that time. <\/p>\n\n\n\t