A rare maritime incident took place in the Caribbean on Wednesday when two U.S. Navy vessels collided during a routine replenishment-at-sea operation, leaving two crew members with minor injuries, according to Baltimore Chronicle. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG-103) and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE-6) were involved in the collision, which occurred while supplies were being transferred between the vessels.
Colonel Emmanuel Ortiz, a spokesperson for U.S. Southern Command, stated, “Two personnel reported minor injuries and are in stable condition. Both ships have reported sailing safely. The incident is currently under investigation.” It remains unclear whether the injured crew members were aboard the Truxtun, the Supply, or both vessels.
Replenishment-at-sea requires two ships to sail side by side at very close distances while transferring supplies via cables fired from one ship to the other. Such operations demand precise coordination and maneuvering, which makes collisions extremely uncommon. According to naval records, the last significant collision involving U.S. Navy ships occurred on February 12, 2025, in the Mediterranean Sea when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt. Although no injuries were reported in that event, the damage required the carrier to dock for repairs, and a subsequent investigation highlighted that a small navigational adjustment could have resulted in a mass-casualty scenario.
The Truxtun departed its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, on February 6, 2026, to begin its Caribbean deployment, forming part of a robust U.S. naval presence established following the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. At present, the U.S. Navy maintains 11 ships in the Caribbean region, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. Officials are conducting a damage assessment to determine whether the Truxtun and Supply will continue their current missions or return to port for repairs.
The collision was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, confirming the incident had occurred during a standard at-sea replenishment procedure. While collisions in U.S. naval operations remain rare, incidents like these underscore the inherent risks of complex maritime logistics operations.
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