2 Navy Vessels Collide in Strait of Hormuz

Thank God no sailors were seriously injured. This collision could have been a lot worse, considering the nuclear power submarine involved.

The Navy must have a lot of vessels around the Strait of Hormuz, if they're bumping into each other like this. There probably is no correlation with the number of US Navy ships around the Strait of Hormuz and Iran, right?New York Times

MANAMA, Bahrain — A nuclear-powered United States submarine collided with a Navy warship early Friday in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage through which much of the world’s oil must pass on its way to market, the Navy announced.

Both ships were damaged in the crash, and 15 sailors on board the submarine, the Hartford, were slightly injured, according to the Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain. A spokesman for the fleet, Lt. Nate Christensen, said none of the sailors needed medical evacuation and all were back on duty.[...]

The submarine was submerged, Lieutenant Christensen said, and the vessels were headed to port around 1 a.m. when the collision occurred. The fleet reported that there was no damage to the submarine’s nuclear reactor, and that both ships were able to return to port under their own power.

The vessels were involved in what the Navy calls “maritime security operations.” The Navy does not release specific details of its activities for security reasons. Lieutenant Christensen said there were three dozen ships deployed in the region at any given time.