US Navy Carrier Docks For Repairs After Collision

U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman has docked at a Greek shipyard to undergo repairs after colliding with a merchant vessel near the Suez Canal.

The Nimitz-class vessel crashed into Panama-registered bulk carrier M/V Besiktas-M off the coast of Port Said off the coast of Egypt on Wednesday night (February 12).

According to reports, the starboard bow of the 188-metre tanker struck the starboard quarter of the navy vessel as the merchant vessel was exiting the canal bound for Constanta, Romania.

Images of damage to the aircraft carrier have been released by the US Navy; she has now docked at the U.S. Navy’s Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center in Souda Bay, Greece for further assessment and repairs.

As per a U.S. Navy press statement, damage has been caused to “the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space. External to the ship, damage assessed includes a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above one of the storage spaces.”

“While the ship is fully mission capable and the ship conducted flight operations following the collision, pulling into port for emergent repairs will enable the ship to continue deployment as scheduled,” said Capt. Dave Snowden, Harry S. Truman’s commanding officer.

“The Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center's ability to mobilize resources within and outside the theater to conduct repairs underscores the warfighting capability of the world's most powerful Navy,” said Vice Adm. J. T. Anderson, commander U.S. Sixth Fleet.

“The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) units remain operational across geographic regions in support of their component commanders,” said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of HSTCSG. “Our mission has not changed and we remain committed to responding to any challenge in this dynamic and global security environment.”

The other elements of the strike group include the flagship’s Carrier Air Wing 1, with eight embarked aviation squadrons; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg, and three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout, USS The Sullivans, and USS Jason Dunham.

• You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website