Two U.S. Navy sailors were injured on Wednesday after a U.S. Navy destroyer and a supply ship collided in the Caribbean, military officials said.
“Yesterday afternoon, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG103) and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) collided during a replenishment-at-sea,” a U.S. Southern Command spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News on Thursday.
Two personnel reported minor injuries but are in stable condition, the official said, adding that both ships have reported sailing safely.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation, according to the spokesperson
The Wall Street Journal first reported the at-sea collision during a ship-to-ship refueling.
Both vessels were assigned to the military buildup in the Caribbean that President Donald Trump ordered in recent months to combat drug trafficking in the region.
This type of replenishment operation at sea involves the transfer of supplies and fuel between two ships sailing side-by-side.
The Journal reported that even though the Navy owns ships like the Supply, they are typically operated by civilian mariners.
The Journal reported that even though the Navy owns ships like the Supply, they are typically operated by civilian mariners.
