ABU DHABI — The U.S. Navy has ordered a suspension of submarine
activities after a collision in the Gulf, the second accident involving U.S. submarines in a month.
Officials said the navy ordered an "immediate" operational standdown in
wake of a collision between the USS Newport News and a Japanese oil tanker
in the Straits of Hormuz off the coast of Oman on Jan. 8. The sub was
damaged and taken to the U.S. Fifth Fleet for dry dock repairs, Middle East Newsline reported.
The U.S. Naval Submarine Forces said all submarine commanders would
review operations and plans to prevent another collision. In a statement on
Jan. 11, the unit said the commanders were ordered to evaluate areas of
risk.
"It is clear that a common thread through recent problems has been
errors conducting normal routine operations," Submarine Forces commander
Vice Adm. Chuck Munns said.
The collision of the USS Newport News was the second accident by a U.S.
submarine in less than a month. On Dec. 29, four sailors were swept off the deck of a U.S. submarine, USS
Minneapolis-St Paul, near England. Two of the sailors died due to the December incident which is under investigation.
Officials have expressed concern over the operations of submarines in
the shallow waters of the Gulf. They said the Newport News was dragged into
the faster-moving tanker by pressure created by waves formed against the
hull of the surface vessel.
"The submarine was pulled up toward the tanker," an official said.
In September 2005, the attack submarine USS Philadelphia, collided into a
Turkish cargo ship off the coast of Bahrain. At the time, the Philadelphia
was above the surface.
