WASHINGTON — The Navy mentioned Thursday it fired the 2 senior officers of a nuclear-powered assault submarine that was broken in an underwater collision final month within the South China Sea. A sailor who served as a senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the chief officer was additionally faraway from his place
The actions have been taken by Vice Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of the U.S. seventh Fleet, based mostly in Japan.
“Thomas decided sound judgment, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch crew execution and threat administration might have prevented the incident,” in response to a seventh Fleet assertion.
Consequently, the assertion mentioned Thomas relieved Cmdr. Cameron Aljilani as commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Cashin as government officer, and Grasp Chief Sonar Technician Cory Rodgers as chief of the boat, “because of lack of confidence.” The chief of the boat is the senior enlisted adviser to the commander and the chief officer.
The Navy has but to publicly clarify how or why the usConnecticut, a Seawolf-class submarine, struck a seamount, or underwater mountain, or to disclose the extent of injury to the vessel.
The Navy has mentioned the submarine’s nuclear reactor and propulsion system weren’t broken. The collision brought about a small variety of reasonable and minor accidents to the crew. USNI Information, which was first to report that the sub had struck a seamount, mentioned injury to the ahead part of the submarine broken its ballast tanks.
The incident occurred on Oct. 2 however was not reported by the Navy till 5 days later, effectively after it had exited the South China Sea. The vessel made its solution to Guam for a injury evaluation, the place it stays.
The seventh Fleet Assertion on Thursday additionally mentioned the sub will return at an unspecified time to Bremerton, Washington for repairs.
