Two US Warships Collide Near Oman
VOA News
28 Jan 2002 14:21 UTC
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Two U.S. warships are being checked for damage after colliding in the Arabian Sea off Oman.

The collision was between a submarine, the USS Greeneville, and an amphibious transport ship, the USS Ogden.

Pentagon officials say there were no injuries and neither ship is in danger of sinking. Both ships remain at sea.

The vessels collided on Sunday while trying to get in position to transfer two submarine sailors who were going home for emergency leave.

The submarine involved is the same one that collided with a Japanese fishing boat, the Ehime Maru, off Hawaii while surfacing last February. The fishing boat sank and nine Japanese were killed.

Officials say Greeneville suffered damage to its stern. There was no immediate word on how or where it will be repaired, or how much it might cost. After the submarine collided with the Ehime Maru last year, it cost the Navy about $2 million to repair.

No structural damage was found at that time. But officials say part of the Greeneville's hull required a new coating, and some bolts in its rudder assembly had to be replaced. The submarine was in dry dock for several weeks, undergoing inspection, testing and repair work.

The U.S. Navy recovered eight of the nine Japanese men and boys killed when the Greeneville collided with the fishing boat, Ehime Maru. The Greeneville's then-captain was reprimanded for the collision, and he agreed to retire from the Navy. Four other crew members were disciplined.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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