US Navy Vessels Collide During Refueling Operation in Caribbean

By Staff, Agencies

Two United States Navy vessels collided during a refueling operation in waters under US Southern Command’s area of responsibility, leaving two personnel with minor injuries, The Wall Street Journal reported.

US Southern Command spokesman Colonel Emmanuel Ortiz said the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply collided during a replenishment-at-sea maneuver on Wednesday.

Two individuals sustained minor injuries and were reported to be in stable condition. Both vessels remain operational and able to continue sailing safely, Ortiz added.

The cause of the collision remains under investigation. The exact location of the incident was not immediately disclosed, though a military official confirmed it occurred within Southern Command’s area, which includes the Caribbean as well as parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific.

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

The collision comes amid an intensified US naval presence in the Caribbean, ordered by US President Donald Trump as part of a broader pressure campaign in the region under the pretext of targeting drug trafficking networks.

According to the report, 12 warships are currently operating under US Southern Command, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its accompanying strike group.

Underway replenishment operations involve the transfer of fuel and supplies between ships sailing side by side, a maneuver requiring close coordination. Vessels such as the USNS Supply are Navy-owned but are primarily operated by civilian mariners.