Obviously the US has the upper hand and desperately needs to maintain a certain perception of their naval might therefore we can expect this story to be carefully managed. By carefully managed, yes, I do mean obfuscated, in a manner that serves the US militaryA number of commenters suggested the Crystal had intentionally and maliciously rammed the Fitzgerald. This is absurd. It makes no logical sense what so ever! Why would the container ship crew and captain do this? For what gain? To possibly be blown out of the water? Having the wrath of the US Navy come down on this cumbersome, slow moving, ship? Risk millions of dollars in cargo? I’m sure the insurance companies would just love that! (Facetious)The claim of the Crystal acting malicious is a huge fail! It just doesn’t make sense.Based on available information via the media I've read so far.......I lean towards the Fitzgerald crew harassing the container ship or playing chicken with the lumbering slow moving behemoth and miscalculating their own maneuvering- Given the free reign the US Navy has in the Japanese seas, along with a technologically superior ship, the captain was willing to play a dangerous game. And he lost! WSJ- Treaty Gives US, Not Japan, Upper Hand in Probe
"Clouding the investigations into Navy ship collision is a bilateral treaty on the status of American forces in Japan. The treaty gives the US jurisdiction over “offenses arising out of any act or omission done in the performance of official duty”
The FitzgeraldKnowing the US has the upper hand. Knowing the US has every reason to whitewash this incident.Covering up their negligence, incompetence or criminality. We should not expect the truth or anything close to it regarding what took place when the Fitzgerald and the Crystal collided.The US needs to maintain the concept of their power and superiority. The belief in this is half of what makes them the dominant global force today- Giving them every reason to spin this incident.As mentioned in previous post comment section:The US grabbed the responsible Captain, probably his immediate subordinates, and have pretty much detained them for an unspecified amount of time. Though there isn’t really any mention of the captain, in particular, being injured. I have my doubts that he was.Maritime Executive
"Cmdr. Bryce Benson, Fitzgerald's commanding officer, was transferred to U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka by a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) helicopter. All three medevac’d sailors are awake and will remain under observation at the hospital until further notice"
No mention of injuries, unlike the injured parties mentioned in the paragraph below- just “remain under observation at hospital until further notice’ I’ll say these three have been incarcerated/silenced for all intents and purposes
"Two additional personnel have been medevac’d from Fitzgerald to USNH-Yokosuka by Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 (HSC-12) for lacerations and bruises. Other injured are being assessed aboard the ship"
"The Fitzgerald often sails in the West Pacific, including in the coastal waters of China. Certain rules need to be followed to avoid collisions on the sea. It is an unspoken rule that the smaller ship should give way to the bigger one. At about 29,000 tons displacement, the Philippine container ship is more than three times the size of the 8,315-ton Fitzgerald. In the face of such a larger vessel, the Fitzgerald obviously did not show due prudence"
The Fitzgerald often sails in the West Pacific- Which means it’s crew is very, very, very well aware of the traffic in the area. (Another fail for the apologists)
“It is an unspoken rule that the smaller ship should give way to the bigger one.”
The Fitzgerald failed to give right of way
“ the Fitzgerald obviously did not show due prudence”
Obviously the Fitzgerald crew failed to show prudence!
“Cargo ships often have lights on during night navigation so as to be identified from a long distance while the Fitzgerald is a small-sized destroyer which employs stealth technology. Under normal circumstances, it should have spotted the Philippine container ship first. From this perspective, the US side should bear more responsibility”
The Fitzgerald employing all manner of technology alongside a 300 plus crew should have been able to spot the lit up container ship, visually (a container ship does not have the advantage of top line technology, because, it’s a container ship not a war ship)Another Fitzgerald fail
“Given US' influence, no countries in the Asia-Pacific region want their vessels to get into trouble with US warships. This may have led to the US sailors' carelessness’
Given US dominance and arrogance on the seas the US sailors may have been careless or worse criminal. Go back to the treaty mentioned at the beginning of the postAnother Fitzgerald failReuters
Aucoin was asked if damage on the starboard side indicated the U.S. ship could have been at fault, but he declined to speculate on the cause of the collision. Maritime rules suggest vessels are supposed to give way to ships on their starboard.
Maritime rules suggest vessels are supposed to give way to ships on their starboard, we’ve already addressed that maritime rules suggests vessels are supposed to give way to larger vesselsYet another Fitzgerald fail!
It is believed the commander of the Fitzgerald and people found liable will be punished. We hope all US warships in the West Pacific should draw a lesson from the incident, not only for their own safety, but also for the peace of the sea passages in the region.
Damage to the Crystal If your unfamiliar with this saga? 1 -Seven US Navy Sailors Unaccounted for in Crash off Japanese Coast2- USS Fitzgerald/ACX Crystal Collision- Missing Sailors Presumed Dead
