Hanoi (VNA) - A collision between US Navy destroyer USS John S McCain and Alnic MCoil tanker in Singapore’s territorial waters on Augustlast year was due to a "sudden turn" made by the warship, Singaporesaid in a report on March 8.
According to a 35-page report on the investigation results of theSingaporean Ministry of Transport, the incident occurred after a series ofmissteps taken by the crew on the warship as well as slow responses of the oiltanker.
The warship suddenly turned to the left after propulsion controlswere transferred, the report said.
The crew on board the US warship during the accident used to workon another warship with a different steering control, the report noted.
According to Singaporean investigators, the sailors on board AlnicMC assumed that the military vessel would be fast enough to safely pass ahead.
In its investigation into the accident, announced in January, theUS Navy said it saw a series of missteps among the US warship crew and accusedthe commanding officer of the ship of several charges, including murder due tocarelessness and neglect of responsibility.
USS John S McCain collidedwith Alnic MC in the eastern sea of Singapore, leaving 10 sailors dead and fiveothers injured.
This was the fourthaccident caused by US warships in the Pacific in one year.-VNA