US Navy aircraft carrier collides with merchant vessel off Egypt

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 19:55

The US Navy says the USS Harry S. Truman collided with the Besiktas-M late Wednesday night while operating near Port Said, Egypt.

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In this handout image provided by the US NAVY, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits the Strait of Gibraltar, on November 25, 2024 (US NAVY/AFP)

A US Navy aircraft carrier collided with a Panamanian-flagged merchant vessel near Egypt, the US military announced on Thursday, confirming that the nuclear-powered carrier remains stable and no injuries were reported.

The US military currently has 11 aircraft carriers and any damage requiring one of them to be sidelined could strain the Navy.

In a statement, the US Navy said the USS Harry S. Truman collided with the Besiktas-M late Wednesday night while operating near Port Said, Egypt.

"The collision did not pose a threat to the Harry S. Truman, as there are no reports of flooding or injuries. The propulsion systems remain unaffected and are in a safe and stable condition," the Navy stated.

The statement did not provide details on the condition of the Besiktas-M following the incident.

Collisions involving US Navy vessels are exceptionally rare, but in 2017, two warships in the Asia-Pacific region were involved in separate crashes, resulting in the deaths of 17 sailors.

These accidents raised concerns over Navy training practices and the pace of operations, leading to a Congressional hearing and the removal of several officers.

Measuring 1,096 feet (333 meters) in length, the USS Harry S. Truman is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall—serving as a floating city for its 5,000-member crew.

Its 4.5-acre flight deck accommodates 90 aircraft, including F/A-18F Super Hornet striker jets, and is also used for loading missiles onto parked jets.