US Navy Ships Collide During Refuelling in Caribbean, 2 Hurt

Two US Navy vessels collided during a ship-to-ship refuelling operation in the Caribbean on Wednesday, leaving two personnel with minor injuries, US officials confirmed.

According to Colonel Emmanuel Ortiz, spokesperson for the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the incident involved the USS Truxtun, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, and the USNS Supply, a fast combat support ship.

Ortiz said both injured sailors are in stable condition. He added that neither vessel suffered damage serious enough to affect their missions, and both ships remain operational.

The exact location of the collision was not disclosed. However, a military official confirmed the incident occurred within SOUTHCOM’s area of responsibility, which includes the Caribbean and parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific.

Officials said the cause of the collision is still unclear and is currently under investigation.

The USS Truxtun had departed from its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, on February 6 for a scheduled deployment. Meanwhile, the USNS Supply has been operating in the Caribbean region.

Collisions involving US Navy ships are considered rare. The last reported incident before this occurred in February 2025, when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant vessel in the Mediterranean near Port Said, Egypt.