- A US Navy destroyer and a support ship collided in the Caribbean Sea on Wednesday.
- A military spokesperson said the incident occurred during a replenishment-at-sea.
- Two personnel were injured but are in stable condition.
A US Navy destroyer and a support ship collided in the Caribbean on Wednesday, leaving two people with minor injuries.
The incident involving the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply occurred during a replenishment-at-sea, a spokesperson for US Southern Command confirmed to Business Insider.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the collision.
Two personnel reported minor injuries but are in stable condition, the official said, adding that both ships are sailing safely and that the incident is under investigation.
A replenishment-at-sea is a naval process in which one ship transfers supplies, such as fuel or munitions, to another while sailing closely alongside one another.
It is a particularly dangerous job given the proximity of the two ships, and there have been accidents during resupply in the past, including a near-miss in 2024 that saw a skipper lose his command. It’s unclear what caused the most recent incident.
The Navy deployed roughly a dozen warships to the Caribbean last year as part of a pressure campaign against Venezuela and its then-President Nicolás Maduro. Despite his capture in early January, the massive naval force has remained in the region.
In recent weeks, the Navy and other US military forces have seized several sanctioned oil tankers in the Caribbean, the Atlantic, and as far away as the Indian Ocean.
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