On Thursday (February 13), the US military announced that a US Navy aircraft carrier collided with a commercial ship near Egypt, but the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is in stable condition and no injuries were reported.
According to Reuters, the US Navy stated in a press release that the “USS Harry Truman” aircraft carrier collided with the “Besiktas-M” merchant ship while operating near Port Said, Egypt, late Wednesday night.
“This collision did not endanger the USS Harry Truman, with no reports of flooding or injuries to personnel. The propulsion system was unaffected and remains in a safe and stable condition,” the Navy added.
Navy Lieutenant Colonel Timothy Gorman stated that the incident is currently under investigation, and further updates will be provided once more information is obtained.
Collisions involving US Navy vessels are extremely rare, but there were two naval ships that collided in the Asia-Pacific region in 2017. The accident resulted in the loss of 17 sailors, raising concerns about Navy training and operational speed, leading to congressional hearings and the dismissal of some military officers.
The “USS Harry Truman” aircraft carrier is 1,096 feet (333 meters) long, nearly as tall as the Empire State Building – a floating city with a crew of 5,000.
Its 4.5-acre flight deck can accommodate 90 aircraft, including F/A-18F “Super Hornets” attack planes. Missiles are loaded onto aircraft parked on the deck, while sailors run on treadmills in the hangar for exercise.