Two U.S. Navy vessels collided Wednesday during a replenishment-at-sea operation in waters near South America, leaving two personnel with minor injuries, military officials confirmed.
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply made contact while transferring fuel and supplies alongside one another, a complex maneuver that requires precise coordination at sea.
Both injured crew members were reported in “stable condition” and no serious injuries have been reported.
U.S. Southern Command, whose area of responsibility includes the Caribbean, South Atlantic and parts of the South Pacific, said both ships remain seaworthy and are continuing their missions. The cause of the collision has not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway to understand what led to the incident.
Refueling at sea, also known as an underway replenishment, involves ships sailing side-by-side to maintain operations without returning to port. Though routine, it carries inherent risks due to the close proximity of large, moving vessels.
The collision comes amid an increased U.S. naval presence in the region, where a dozen warships are deployed as part of broader military operations. Previous collisions involving Navy ships have prompted reviews of training and safety procedures in the past, though those earlier incidents involved different circumstances.
