U.S. Submarine involved in another accident
(05.09.2005)

A U.S. Submarine, the USS Philadelphia, was involved in a collision with a Turkish cargo ship in the Persian Gulf early this morning. Damage was superficial and nobody was injured.

The nuclear powered submarine was traveling on the surface when it hit the cargo ship, about 30 miles northeast of Bahrain.

The USS Philadelphia was carrying out surface operations on its way to Bahrain for a scheduled visit when the incident occured. There was very little damage to the submarine and the cargo ship was considered seaworthy after the collision.

This was the U.S. Navy's second collision with a civilian vessel in the Gulf in just over a year and one of many "collisions" in recent years.

On the 8th of January the submarine USS San Francisco struck an undersea mountain in the Pacific Ocean en route to Australia, killing one sailor and injuring 97 others.

In February 2001, the submarine USS Greeneville crashed into a Japanese fishing vessel while conducting a rapid-ascent drill off Hawaii. Nine people were killed aboard the Japanese ship.

In April 1981, the USS George Washington, a missile submarine, ran into the Japanese freighter Nisso Maru, sinking the ship off the southern tip of Japan and killing two of the Japanese crewmen.

Although the Russians have had their fair share of submarine disasters, the Kursk being one of the worst in August 2000, where all 118 of the crew were lost. The U.S. submarines seem to have a high rate of collisions compared to others (most other incidents, in Russian subs, have been fires or explosions).

It must be a little worrying for the U.S. Navy that the commander of the USS Philadelphia didn't notice a cargo ship (while on the surface) and we doubt if equipment can be blamed for this collision, as even the most basic radar should pick up such a vessel.

The cause of the collision is to be investigated.

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