US warship and supply vessel collide near South America; two injured
Washington: Two US Navy vessels assigned to Washington’s expanded military presence in the Caribbean were involved in a collision during a refuelling operation on Wednesday, leaving two personnel with minor injuries. Both sailors are reported to be in stable condition and the ships remain seaworthy, according to defence officials.
US Southern Command confirmed that the incident took place during an underway replenishment involving the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the fast combat support ship USNS Supply. The mishap occurred as the Navy continues a significant force buildup ordered by President Donald Trump to intensify counter-narcotics operations in the region.
A military spokesman also told the Wall Street Journal that the cause of the collision remains unclear and is under investigation.
Refuelling manoeuvre goes wrong
The ships were conducting a standard replenishment-at-sea when they made contact, a high-precision procedure that requires vessels to sail in close formation while transferring fuel and supplies via cables and hoses.
US Southern Command said in a statement that “two personnel reported minor injuries and both ships are able to continue sailing safely”.
According to one US official familiar with the incident, the USNS Supply was simultaneously refuelling the cruiser USS Gettysburg when the Truxtun approached from the opposite side. The ships subsequently collided, though the exact location of the event has not been disclosed.
Truxtun had recently departed Norfolk
The USS Truxtun began its scheduled deployment from Norfolk, Virginia earlier this month but briefly returned to port for what the Navy described as an “emergent equipment repair”. The destroyer set out again for the Caribbean on 6 February before joining the regional mission.
The USNS Supply, operated largely by civilian mariners, has been active in the Caribbean supporting the expanded naval presence.
Part of major military escalation
The collision occurred amid one of the largest US military buildups in the Caribbean in decades. Washington currently has 12 warships positioned in the region, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford, the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and additional Marine-laden vessels.
US officials say the deployment supports Trump’s campaign to disrupt drug-trafficking networks. The administration has also launched strikes on suspected narcotics smuggling boats, seized sanctioned tankers and carried out a surprise operation that captured former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.
Separate fatal incident during the same deployment
The Navy also disclosed a separate tragedy linked to the Caribbean operation. A search was launched after a Marine was reported missing overboard from the USS Iwo Jima last Saturday.
A statement released by the Marine Corps said: “A report was made Saturday that Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, of Florida, had fallen from the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship…”
Despite a 72-hour round-the-clock search involving five ships, 10 aircraft and a Reaper drone, the Marine was declared dead on Tuesday. It is believed to be the first publicly confirmed fatality associated with the mission.
Navy collisions rare but not unprecedented
While collisions involving US destroyers are unusual, the Navy has faced similar accidents in recent years.
In 2017, 17 sailors were killed in two separate crashes involving the USS Fitzgerald and the USS John S McCain in the Pacific.
More recently, the Navy experienced another mishap in February 2025 when the carrier USS Harry S Truman struck a merchant ship near the Suez Canal. No injuries were reported, though an investigation later found the vessel had been travelling at an unsafe speed.
(WIth inputs from agencies)