Port Said (Agencies): A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, the USS Harry S. Truman, collided with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M late Wednesday night in the Mediterranean Sea near Port Said, Egypt. The incident occurred at approximately 11:46 p.m. local time.
According to the U.S. Navy, there were no injuries or flooding on the aircraft carrier, and its nuclear propulsion systems remain unaffected and in a “safe and stable” condition. However, an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the collision.
The Besiktas-M, a bulk carrier measuring 188 meters in length with a deadweight of 53,000 tons, had recently transited the Suez Canal and was en route to the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania. Meanwhile, the USS Harry S. Truman, homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, had just completed a port call in Souda Bay, Greece, before the incident.
The USS Harry S. Truman, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, has been deployed in the Mediterranean since September 2024 as part of U.S. operations aimed at protecting national interests in the Middle East. The warship, carrying around 5,000 personnel, has been actively involved in military operations, including recent missile strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
This collision is the latest in a series of maritime incidents involving U.S. Navy vessels. In 2017, the USS Fitzgerald collided with the container ship ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan, resulting in the deaths of seven sailors. Later that year, the USS John S. McCain was involved in a collision with the tanker Alnic MC near Singapore, which claimed ten lives.
While officials emphasize that there is no immediate danger following the incident, the collision raises concerns about naval operations in the region. More details are expected as the investigation progresses.