Two US Navy Ships Collide During Refuelling In Carribean, Two Injured

Two US Navy vessels collided during a refuelling operation in the Caribbean on Wednesday, leaving two personnel with minor injuries, according to Col Emmanuel Ortiz, a spokesman for the United States Southern Command.

The incident occurred during a ship-to-ship refuelling operation involving the USS Truxtun, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, and the fast combat support ship USNS Supply. Both sailors injured in the collision are in stable condition, and neither vessel sustained damage severe enough to disrupt their missions.

Ortiz added that the cause of the collision remains unclear and is under investigation. The precise location of the incident was not immediately disclosed, though a military official confirmed it took place within Southern Command's area of responsibility, which includes the Caribbean as well as parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific.

The USS Truxtun had left its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, on February 6 for a scheduled deployment, while the USNS Supply has been operating in the Caribbean.

Collisions involving US Navy ships are rare. The most recent incident prior to Wednesday occurred on February 12, 2025, in the Mediterranean Sea, when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman struck a merchant vessel off Port Said, Egypt. That collision forced the carrier to make a port call for repairs.

Although no injuries were reported in that case, a subsequent Navy investigation found that a slight change in course by either ship could have resulted in a mass-casualty event.

(With inputs from agencies)