# USS Harry S. Truman Collides with Merchant Vessel in Mediterranean Sea **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** breaking-news\ **Created:** [February 13, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276 "2025-02-13T18:22:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/1 "2025-02-13T18:22:16Z")
> USS _Harry S. Truman_ (CVN-75), the flagship of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, collided with M/V _Besiktas-M_ around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday near Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea, the Navy said Thursday. > > The carrier did not experience flooding and the crew did not report injuries, Cmdr. Tim Gorman, spokesperson for U.S. 6th Fleet said in a statement. **UPDATED: USS Harry S. Truman Collides with Merchant Vessel in Mediterranean Sea** [https://news.usni.org/2025/02/13/breaking-uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea](https://news.usni.org/2025/02/13/breaking-uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea) > **[USS Harry S. Truman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Harry_S._Truman)** > > USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is the eighth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, named after the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. She is homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. > Harry S. Truman was launched on 7 September 1996 by Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, and commissioned on 25 July 1998 with Captain Thomas Otterbein in command. President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker, and other notable attendees and speakers includ... > _Besiktas-M_ , a bulk carrier, is more than 550 feet long with a deadweight of 53,000 tons. I guess with small ships, like these two, it’s very hard to see each other. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/2 "2025-02-13T19:35:15Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I guess with small ships, like these two, it’s very hard to see each other. I think that’s why they invented radar and sonar. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/3 "2025-02-13T21:46:04Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I think that’s why they invented radar and sonar. And lookouts. Yes is it was 11:45 pm. So, that’s why they invented lights. _Someone_ will be looking for a new career soon. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/4 "2025-02-14T10:52:43Z")
I was under the impression that a carrier group kept the carrier in the middle, and any vessel approaching would avoid the entire group, unless, say, a supply ship. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/5 "2025-02-14T11:26:13Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > I guess with small ships, like these two, it’s very hard to see each other. > **[How to Avoid Huge Ships](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Avoid_Huge_Ships)** > > How to Avoid Huge Ships is a 1982 book by Captain John W. Trimmer, a Master Mariner and Seattle harbor pilot. The first edition was self-published from Trimmer's home in Seattle, and carried the subtitle Or: I Never Met a Ship I Liked. It is a maritime operations guidance book, but also attracted some attention due to its title, which some found to be unusual, incongruous, and humorous. > Intended for a specialized audience (the captains or operators of small private boats, such as yachts and traw... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/6 "2025-02-14T15:03:56Z")
This kind of thing didn’t happen when Biden was president. ---
**Author:** ![sb1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@sb1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sb1953)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/7 "2025-02-14T15:11:22Z")
HA! Love this ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/8 "2025-02-14T15:48:24Z")
Here is the damage: [![](https://i.redd.it/dj6yyzop64je1.jpeg) ](https://i.redd.it/dj6yyzop64je1.jpeg) So the problem is not the amount of damage, rather: suppose a hostile Mideastern terrorist organization had taken control of a bulk tanker, filled it with high explosives (perhaps a nuclear weapon), and staged this kind of “accident”. Result: one less U.S. carrier–a tremendous propaganda coup and naval victory. There were a couple major collisions a few years ago: the McCain and the Fitzgerald. As a consequence many of us expected the Navy to change its procedures to fix this security hole–but it hasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/9 "2025-02-14T17:34:39Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > suppose a hostile Mideastern terrorist organization had taken control of a bulk tanker, filled it with high explosives (perhaps a nuclear weapon), Thanks for the pic, it’s worse than I expected. How about a boarding party with 10-20 well armed terrorists fanning out, just shooting everyone in sight. A handful of hand grenades each to toss into any open hatches or intakes on aircraft. Let that play out for 20 minutes, _then,_ blow up the tanker. See if Steven Seagal and Tommy Lee Jones are available. Sean C is not. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/10 "2025-02-14T17:46:19Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > See if Steven Seagal and Tommy Lee Jones are available. Sean C is not. Unfortunately, Steven Segal would be on the side of Russia and the terrorists nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/11 "2025-02-14T18:50:16Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > This kind of thing didn’t happen when Biden was president. Has it been blamed on DEI yet? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2025, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/12 "2025-02-14T18:52:56Z")
3 Quatloos says it will be. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/13 "2025-02-16T20:41:28Z")
Tankers are so fast and sleek. The aircraft carrier never had a chance to avoid a collision. 🙄 I suspect some military careers were tarnished. Line handling is rope to us land-lubbers? [https://news.usni.org/2025/02/16/uss-harry-s-truman-pulls-into-souda-bay-for-repairs-after-collision](https://news.usni.org/2025/02/16/uss-harry-s-truman-pulls-into-souda-bay-for-repairs-after-collision) > [@](#): > > “Damage assessed includes the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space. External to the ship, damage assessed includes a line handling space, the fantail and the platform above one of the storage spaces,” reads the statement from 6th Fleet. > “Aircraft elevator number three sustained no damage and is fully operational. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/14 "2025-02-16T21:41:14Z")
I hope there wasn’t any damage to the flight line. You’ve got to train the new recruits properly on how to use that. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uss-harry-s-truman-collides-with-merchant-vessel-in-mediterranean-sea/1014276/15 "2025-02-16T23:14:06Z")
that’s easy; you just need a left-handed adjustable wrench