Two US Navy ships collide during refuelling operation in Caribbean; two injured

Col Emmanuel Ortiz, a spokesman for the command, said the incident involved the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the fast combat support ship USNS Supply.

Both injured sailors are reported to be in stable condition. Ortiz said neither vessel sustained damage severe enough to affect their ongoing missions.

The collision occurred during a routine refuelling operation at sea, a complex manoeuvre in which ships sail in close proximity while transferring fuel.

The precise location of the incident was not immediately disclosed, though a US military official confirmed it took place within Southern Command’s area of responsibility, which covers the Caribbean as well as parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific.

Ortiz said the cause of the collision remains unclear and is under investigation.

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

Collisions involving US Navy ships are rare but have drawn scrutiny in recent years.

The most recent incident before Wednesday occurred on February 12, 2025, in the Mediterranean Sea, when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman struck a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt.

Although no injuries were reported in that case, a Navy investigation later found that a slight course change by either vessel could have led to a mass-casualty event.

The Navy has not yet provided additional details about the latest collision as the investigation continues.