NPR

Navy Says Deadly Ship Collisions Were 'Avoidable,' Faults Lack Of Preparation

The USS John S. McCain sails toward a naval base in Singapore in August, the massive dent in its side visible on the right side of the frame. The destroyer had collided with a tanker just hours before ? the second such deadly collision involving a U.S. Navy warship in several months. / ROSLAN RAHMAN / Getty Images

The U.S. Navy has completed its investigations into the deadly collisions that damaged two of its warships just months apart this summer, describing just what went wrong in a report published Wednesday. The report is dozens of pages long, but if those errors could be described in a word, it would be "avoidable."

"Both of these accidents were preventable and

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min readWorld
Housing Costs Keep Inflation Stubborn; New Report On Maui Wildfires Released
Inflation is proving stubborn this year, and the cost of rent may be to blame. Hawaii's attorney general has released the first report into last year's Maui fires.
NPR3 min read
Dickey Betts, Founding Member Of The Allman Brothers Band, Dies At 80
The influential guitarist, songwriter and singer was best known for the song "Ramblin' Man." Betts's blues, rock and country-influenced guitar style helped define Southern rock in the 1960s and '70s.
NPR4 min read
Wildfire Smoke Contributes To Thousands Of Deaths Each Year In The U.S.
Two new studies show the unseen toll smoke is taking on people across the country. Climate change is likely to make the problem even bigger.

Related Books & Audiobooks