The US Navy has put its operations in the Pacific on pause to review navigational safety after a collision with a Stealth Maritime tanker marked the second deadly incident involving a merchant ship in just over two months.
The service's commander for naval operations called for a comprehensive review to explore potential factors in the latest casualties, as well as a collision with a fishing vessel and a grounding.
"This is the second collision in three months, and the last in a series of incidents in the Pacific theatre," said Admiral John Richardson. "This trend demands more forceful actions."
The Navy announced today that remains were found from some of the missing sailors from the warship USS John S McCain after it collided with Stealth's 50,800-dwt Alnic MC (built 2008).
Both vessels sustained damage but no crew members on the Liberian-flag Alnic MC, which is classed by Bureau Veritas and insured by UK P&I Club, were injured.
The incident came just days after the commander and three other officers on the USS Fitzgerald were relieved of duty after the warship collided with the 2,858-teu containership ACX Crystal (built 2008) in June. Seven sailors on the destroyer died.
Today, Admiral Scott Swift, the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, expressed support for the operational review.
"While each of these four events is unique, they cannot be viewed in isolation," he said.
