Two U.S. Navy vessels operating under U.S. Southern Command collided Wednesday during a replenishment-at-sea operation in waters near South America, military officials confirmed.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply made contact while conducting a routine at-sea resupply, resulting in injuries to two personnel.
U.S. Southern Command spokesman Steven McLoud said in an emailed statement that the collision occurred during a replenishment-at-sea maneuver — an operation requiring ships to sail in close formation while transferring fuel, food, and supplies through connected lines and hoses.
The exact location was not disclosed, and the cause remains under investigation. Both ships reported they are operating safely following the incident.
Officials said the two injured service members are in stable condition. Their identities and ship assignments were not released.
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Replenishment-at-sea operations are among the most technically demanding maneuvers in naval operations. Ships maintain parallel courses, often just a few hundred feet apart, while connected by transfer equipment. The process allows forward-deployed vessels to remain on station without returning to port, but it carries inherent navigational risk.
The Truxtun, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, recently deployed to the Southern Command area as part of an expanded U.S. naval presence in the region. That force includes roughly a dozen surface warships and the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, deployed as part of a counter-narcotics and regional security mission directed by the Trump administration.
The USNS Supply, also based in Norfolk, is designed to provide fuel, ammunition, and provisions to carrier strike groups and other surface forces while underway.
Naval collisions involving U.S. warships are rare but closely scrutinized. A formal investigation has been launched to determine contributing factors. Officials have not provided a timeline for its completion.
Recent high-profile naval collisions include:
- USS Harry S. Truman (February 2025): Collided with a merchant vessel near the Suez Canal; investigators cited unsafe speed and failure to take evasive action.
- USS John S. McCain (August 2017): Struck an oil tanker near Singapore, killing 10 sailors.
- USS Fitzgerald (June 2017): Collided with a container ship off Japan, killing seven sailors.
Following the 2017 incidents, the Navy implemented sweeping reforms, including replacing certain touchscreen helm systems with traditional mechanical controls and strengthening bridge training and oversight procedures.
Navy officials emphasized that both vessels remain operational and that crew safety remains the top priority as the investigation proceeds.
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What a nothing burger. Not common incident, but not unheard of. When you have two ships side by side, any little error or mechanical malfunction can cause an incident like this.
I was in a real collision in 1975 when the USS Belknap collided with the USS JFK. 8 people perished and two warships were damaged, one heavily.