Divers find bodies during search for ten missing sailors aboard the flooded compartments of USS John S. McCain
- USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker near Singapore early Monday
- Ten sailors were reported missing after the crash, and five were injured
- Fleet Admiral Scott Swift held a press conference Tuesday and revealed divers had recovered the remains of some of the missing men
- Malaysian Navy has also reported locating other potential remains
- Authorities have not confirmed the identities of the sailors who were recovered
- Megan Partlow of Ohio, revealed that her fiance Jacob Drake was on board the McCain, but she was losing hope of ever seeing him again.
- Yesterday's crash was the second major collision in two months involving the Navy's 7th Fleet
- Seven died in June when USS Fitzgerald and a container ship collided off Japan
- Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the Navy will call for a pause in operations
Divers have found remains of some of the ten missing sailors in a flooded compartment during a search of the USS John S. McCain.
The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the South China Sea, in the early hours of Monday morning.
The crash tore a gaping hole in the McCain's left rear hull and flooded adjacent compartments including the crew's sleeping area and communication rooms, leaving five sailors injured and ten missing.
Today, Commander of the United States Navy Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift held a press conference at the Changi Navy Base in Singapore, where he revealed that divers 'were able to locate some remains in those sealed compartment during their search.'
Navy sailors cover an unidentified body, believed to be one of the ten sailors missing from the USS John McCain, on to the deck of KD Lekiu frigate after it was recovered in the waters off the Johor coast of Malaysia
Commander of the United States Navy Pacific Fleet Admiral Scott Swift (pictured) held a press conference at the Changi Navy Base in Singapore, where he revealed that divers had recovered the remains of some of the missing men
Megan Partlow (left with Drake) revealed that her fiance Jacob Drake (left and right) was on board the McCain, but she was losing hope of seeing him again
Swift said the Malaysian Navy has reported locating other potential remains and are working to confirm the identities.
Photos released by the Royal Malaysian Navy shows personnel covering up the remains of a missing sailor with a body bag, on the deck of KD Lekiu frigate, after the body was recovered in the waters off the Johor coast of Malaysia.
Naval ships from Singapore and Malaysia were aiding the U.S. Navy in a massive search that was continuing Tuesday, Swift said.
'It is clear that their damage control efforts saved their ship and saved lives,' he added.
The discovery will come as a blow to the families of the missing sailors who had been holding out for a miracle. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the servicemen and women whose bodies have been recovered from the flooded ship.
Authorities revealed that divers 'were able to locate some remains in those sealed compartments during their search'
A body bag containing the remains of a US sailor is laid out on the deck of the Royal Malaysian Navy ship
The body bag is carried off by members of the Royal Malaysian Navy
Megan Partlow of Ohio, revealed that her fiance Jacob Drake was on board the McCain, but she was losing hope of ever seeing him again.
'My last text to him was 'be safe,' which is the same way we end every conversation,' he said, adding that last text exchange was on Sunday.
'I'm just ready for answers,' she said.
The identities of the missing have not been disclosed but Partlow said her fiance's parents were in touch with the Navy's family assistance center.
The divers will also be conducting damage assessments of the hull and flooded areas as the investigation into the cause of the collision continues.
This is the second major collision in two months involving the Pacific-based 7th Fleet and the Navy has ordered a broad investigation into its performance and readiness.
Seven sailors died in June when the USS Fitzgerald and a container ship collided in waters off Japan.
After the collision, (daamge is seen on the side of the ship) the John McCain sailed under its own power and headed to port at Changi Naval Base in Singapore
There were also two lesser-known incidents in the first half of the year. In January, the USS Antietam guided missile cruiser ran aground near Yokosuka base, the home port of the 7th Fleet, and in May another cruiser, the USS Lake Champlain from the Navy's 3rd Fleet, had a minor collision with a South Korean fishing boat.
A top admiral has now said that the US Navy will 'consider' whether two fatal collisions this summer could have been the result of a cyber attack.
Admiral John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, said yesterday that there were 'no indications right now' that the two ships were hacked, but added investigators 'will consider all possibilities'.
Navy Adm. John Richardson, the chief of naval operations, on Monday ordered a pause in 7th Fleet operations for the next few days to allow commanders to get together with leaders, sailors and command officials and identify any immediate steps that need to be taken to ensure safety.
'He has put together a broader inquiry to look into these incidents,' Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Monday, referring to the two recent collisions and other accidents at sea. Mattis spoke to reporters in Amman, Jordan, where he is traveling.
Admiral Scott Swift, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, speaks at the news conference near the damaged USS John McCain and the USS America (seen behind) at Changi Naval Base in Singapore
He revealed that bodies had been found, but would not confirm how many, or the identities
The damaged USS John McCain and the USS America are docked at Changi Naval Base in Singapore
The damaged USS John McCain is docked at Changi Naval Base. The whole in the hull is clearly visible
A broader U.S. Navy review will look at the 7th Fleet's performance, including personnel, navigation capabilities, maintenance, equipment, surface warfare training, munitions, certifications and how sailors move through their careers.
Richardson said the review will be conducted with the help of the Navy's office of the inspector general, the safety center and private companies that make equipment used by sailors.
The McCain had been heading to Singapore on a routine port visit after conducting a sensitive freedom-of-navigation operation last week by sailing near one of China's man-made islands in the South China Sea.
China, Washington's main rival for influence in the Asia-Pacific, seized on the McCain collision to accuse the Navy of endangering maritime navigation in the region. This year's string of accidents shows the U.S. Navy 'is becoming a dangerous obstacle in Asian waters,' the official China Daily newspaper said in its online edition.
The McCain and the Alnic MC oil tanker collided about 4.5 nautical miles from Malaysia's coast at the start of a designated sea lane for ships sailing into the busy Singapore Strait.
The collision between the 505-foot destroyer guided missile destroyer and the 600-foot Alnic MC ripped a gaping hole in the destroyer's hull.
The Navy's 7th Fleet said 'significant damage' to the McCain's hull resulted in the flooding of adjacent compartments including crew berths, machinery and communications rooms. A damage control response prevented further flooding.
A picture of the US guided-missile destroyer after the collision shows the ship riding low in the water with a hole in its side near its waterline
The Alnic MC tanker, pictured here outside Singapore, collided with the USS John S. McCain in the early hours of Monday morning
The Malaysian navy joined with search teams from Singapore and the US
Royal Malaysian Navy personnel looked for missing sailors of the US guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain off Johor coastal area on Tuesday
There was no immediate explanation for the collision, although it appears the McCain had the right of way.
Singapore, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, is one of the world's busiest ports and a U.S. ally, with its naval base regularly visited by American warships.
The Singapore government said no crew were injured on the Liberian-flagged Alnic, which sustained damage to a compartment at the starboard, or right, side at the front of the ship some 23 feet above its waterline. The ship had a partial load of fuel oil, according to the Greek owner of the tanker, Stealth Maritime Corp. S.A., but no apparent spill.
Several safety violations were recorded for the oil tanker at its last port inspection in July, one fire safety deficiency and two safety-of-navigation problems. The official database for ports in Asia doesn't go into details and the problems apparently were not serious enough for the tanker to be detained.
President Donald Trump expressed concern for the McCain's crew. Returning to Washington from his New Jersey golf club, he responded, 'That's too bad' when reporters shouted questions to him about the McCain. Later, Trump tweeted that 'thoughts and prayers' are with the McCain's sailors.
The McCain is named after US Sen. John McCain's father and grandfather, who were both US admirals. It's based at the 7th Fleet's homeport of Yokosuka, Japan. It was commissioned in 1994 and has a crew of 23 officers, 24 chief petty officers and 291 enlisted sailors, according the Navy's website.
McCain said on Twitter that he and his wife, Cindy, are 'keeping America's sailors aboard the USS John S McCain in our prayers tonight - appreciate the work of search & rescue crews.'
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