News
Publish date: September 5, 2005
News
This was the U.S. Navy’s second collision with a civilian vessel in the Gulf in 14 months.
The USS Philadelphia and its 125-person crew was traveling on the surface of the Gulf when it hit the Turkish-flagged M/V Yaso Aysen at around 2 a.m. local time, said a statement from the 5th Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain. The collision happened about 40 kilometres northeast of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, said Breslau to AP.
The Philadelphia was conducting surface operations on its way to Bahrain for a scheduled port visit, the Navy said, according to the agency. Afterward, the submarine continued to Bahrain where inspectors will check it for damage.
The submarine’s nuclear-powered propulsion plant was not damaged in the crash, the Navy said. Breslau said the Turkish ship, a bulk carrier, suffered minor damage to its hull just above the water line, according to AP. The ship weighed anchor at the site of the crash and a US Coast Guard vessel was sent to offer help, Breslau said. An initial inspection found the cargo vessel to be seaworthy.
The cause of the collision was under investigation, Breslau told AP.
An accident aboard numerous Volgoneft oil tankers in the Kerch in mid December clearly show what can happen to aged ships when they are operated in bad weather—and when economic and military objectives are prioritized over the lives of crews and environmental safety.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
A visit last week by Vladimir Putin and a Kremlin entourage to Astana, Kazakhstan sought in part to put Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, on good footing with local officials.