Navy ship USS Fitzgerald was likely at fault when it collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship near Japan last month, two unnamed officials told CNN.
The investigation is still in its infancy, but the sources said the initial findings point to the collision being the result of “multiple errors” on behalf of the Navy crew and a failure to take action in the minutes leading up to the crash.
It appeared the crew failed to acknowledge the merchant ship’s path and may not have sounded an alarm, the officials said. This could explain why some sailors were in their berthing compartments and the commander was in his cabin when the collision happened.
The Philippine-flagged container ship ACX Crystal after it collided with the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald in Tokyo bay on June 17, 2017. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images
