The submarine USS Philadelphia collided with a Turkish freighter on Monday in the central Persian Gulf. Neither ship was damaged seriously and no one was injured, officials said.
The accident occurred about 2 a.m. local time while the Groton-based submarine was on the surface headed for Bahrain for a routine port call. The Turkish ship, the Yaso Aysen, was reportedly headed for the United Arab Emirates to take on cargo.
Navy sources said the collision is likely to be a career-killer for Cmdr. Steven M. Oxholm, the captain of the Philadelphia, because the large freighter should have been spotted by both radar and crew members on lookout duty.
Not a good year for submarines. See also: USS San Francisco.