The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain has collided with a merchant vessel east of Singapore and the Strait of Malacca, according to officials with the U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs.
The collision with the vessel Alnic MC was reported at 6:24 a.m. Japan Standard Time on Monday, as the USS John S. McCain was transiting to a routine port visit in Singapore.
Initial reports indicate that the destroyer sustained damage to her port side aft.
Search and rescue efforts are underway in coordination with local authorities.
It is the second collision involving a ship from the Navy’s 7th Fleet in the Pacific in two months. Seven sailors died in June when the USS Fitzgerald and a container ship hit each other in waters off Japan.
The Fitzgerald’s captain was relieved of command and other sailors would be punished after the Navy found poor seamanship and flaws in keeping watch
