Image source: topwar.ru
The nuclear aircraft carrier of the United States Navy "Harry S. Truman" (USS Harry S. Truman) collided with the merchant ship "Besiktas-M" (Besiktas-M) in the Mediterranean Sea near the Egyptian Port Said. This was announced on February 13 by the command of the 6th Fleet of the US Navy, the incident itself occurred the day before.
The report clarifies that the aircraft carrier did not receive any serious damage as a result of the collision, and there were no casualties among the crew members. No information has been received from the US military about the condition of the Besiktas-M bulk carrier flying the Panamanian flag and its crew members.
It is known that the merchant ship was sailing from Port Said to Constanta, Romania. According to unofficial data, the bulk carrier suffered minor damage, and the crew members are fine.
The US Navy aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman has been actively involved in operations in the Middle East over the past year, in particular in the Red Sea. Recently, it was attacked with missiles and drones by the Yemeni Houthis.
After investigating the causes of the incident, the command of the US Navy dismissed the commander of the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman, Dave Snowden. The reason given is the loss of confidence that Snowden is capable of commanding US Navy ships and being responsible for the safety of sailors. In other words, this huge aircraft carrier failed to "dodge" and avoid a collision with a bulk carrier.
— the US Navy said in a statement.
Snowden, who has served as commander of an aircraft carrier since December 2023, will be temporarily assigned to the Atlantic Ocean Naval Forces. Captain Christopher Hill, 1st Rank, commander of the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower, which is undergoing routine maintenance at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, will temporarily serve as commander of the Truman.
Meanwhile, an American warship was damaged by an unsuccessful encounter with a civilian vessel. According to the command of the 6th Operational Fleet of the United States, last Sunday the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman arrived at the Souda Bay base on the Greek island of Crete for emergency repairs. The platform above one of the storage rooms, the outer wall of two storage rooms and the maintenance room were damaged. The nearby aircraft lift for aircraft from the hangar was not damaged and is fully operational.
Image source: topwar.ru
Earlier, the commander of the aircraft carrier Snowden, even before his resignation, reported that the ship was fully operational, its carrier-based aircraft carried out flights even after a collision with a bulk carrier.
Experts emphasize that accidents between military and merchant ships are rare, as aircraft carriers in most cases move as part of well-organized strike groups. However, ships passing through the Suez Canal are required to move behind each other, which makes them more vulnerable to collisions.
