PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- It was about 1:30 a.m. on June 17, 2017, when the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with a Philippine cargo ship off the coast of Japan.. Nearly two years later, the case is ongoing. January 13, 2019 . Attorneys collected depositions from witnesses in Japan in late September and early October for the McCain case, according to court documents. The USS Fitzgerald sits in dry dock at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, nearly a month after it was damaged in a deadly collision with a merchant vessel on June 17, 2017. The plaintiffs’ attorney, David Schloss, of Washington, D.C., said the accident caused his clients injuries, mental anguish, lost wages, pain and suffering and “pre-death fright.” “They were conscious for two to three minutes knowing they were drowning,” Schloss said. NYK is a Japanese company, but Schloss said U.S. courts can have jurisdiction over the case because NYK has a large global network spanning 60 regions and countries, including the United States. Autopsies revealed no sailors died in the immediate impact, but rather by inhaling seawater. However, the Navy did praise the actions of the crew after the collision.Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our
The board’s report said merchant ship’s crew “expected that the USS Fitzgerald would recognize them and avoid ACX Crystal,” so it did not change its course or speed before the collision. Geoff Ziezulewicz . Many were sent back to the U.S. for treatment, required in-patient care, were put on mental health medication or assigned limited duty as a result. The two groups filed separate lawsuits. “The Navy is not concerned about the mistakes made by Crystal,” the report said. In its report, the Navy specifically addressed the Fitzgerald’s movements, not those of the ACX Crystal. It also failed to sound a horn to properly warn the Fitzgerald of the impending danger. The company employs about 35,000 people, has a fleet of 710 ships and has consolidated revenue of about $17.1 billion, according to its website. “Several witnesses recall … a wall of water rushing toward them,” according to the lawsuit. While it listed some Fitzgerald faults, including ineffective watch-standing, as causal factors, it also said the ACX Crystal’s crew should have done more to prevent the collision. PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- It was about 1:30 a.m. on June 17, 2017, when the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Now, almost three years to the day after that fatal collision and two years after repairs began, the “It has been our privilege to work with the U.S. Navy to repair and restore Following the 2017 collision, the Navy awarded Ingalls a $270 million contract for repair and modernization of the The destroyer was brought from Yokosuka, Japan, to Ingalls via a heavy lift transport, arriving at Ingalls in January 2018. In August, a Japan Transport Safety Board report identified key factors that contributed to the collision, but the report did not place blame on either party.
The crash crushed a large section of the Fitzgerald above the waterline and caused extensive damage below, creating a 13x17 foot hole in the ship. The report also indicated poor seamanship by the crews of both vessels. Attempts to reach attorneys for NYK were unsuccessful. The collision happened June 17, 2017, about 60 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, where the warship was based at the time. USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel at approximately 2:30 a.m. local time, June 17, while operating about 56 nautical miles southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. On Aug. 21, 2017, an oil tanker named the Alnic MC slammed into the port side of the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain, killing 10 sailors.
The 42 plaintiffs in that case seek more than $66.5 million from Energetic Tank for personal injury, wrongful death and property damage. After more than a year in drydock, Ingalls officials said that, due to the complexity of the repair and modernization, both repair and new construction procedures were used to return the The U.S. Navy's investigation into the crash found that inadequate leadership and flawed teamwork were factors in the accident. “When [a] vessel fails to understand the intentions or actions of other vessels, or there is doubt that other vessels are taking sufficient action to avoid a collision, warning signals shall be sounded,” said a translated copy of the report.
The U.S. government, along with the families and injured sailors, countersued Energetic Tank Inc., owner of the Alnic MC, which in early 2018 in federal court sought exoneration from liability in that collision. However, outside parties can be held responsible. The Fitzgerald’s was the first of two collisions involving 7th Fleet vessels in 2017. Erin Elizabeth Rehm … Nearly all his clients battle post-traumatic stress disorder since the collision, Schloss said in September. “Instead, the Navy is focused on the performance of its ships and what we could have done differently to avoid these mishaps.” The discovery deadline passed last month. “The water pressure was so intense that several Sailors were pulled away from the port side scuttle exit by the rushing water.” Commander Bryce Benson, the USS Fitzgerald's captain, has been removed from duty following the deadly June 21 crash of the USS Fitzgerald, where seven sailors lost their lives The radar was ‘haunted’. Worse than you thought: inside the secret Fitzgerald probe the Navy doesn’t want you to read.