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US submarine commander fired after crash into sea mountain
Commander Cameron Aljilani and two others were removed from their positions following an investigation into the crash in the disputed South China Sea.
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In this image released by the US Navy, The Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) departs Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton for deployment in Bremerton, Washington on May 27, 2021. A US nuclear submarine was damaged after hitting an unidentified object while operating underwater in Asia, the US Navy said. The USS Connecticut, a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, (AFP/US Navy)
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he US Navy on Thursday sacked the commanding officer, executive officer and top enlisted sailor of a nuclear-powered submarine that crashed into an underwater mountain, saying the October 2 accident was preventable.
Commander Cameron Aljilani and two others were removed from their positions following an investigation into the crash in the disputed South China Sea.
The USS Connecticut was forced to sail on the surface for a week to reach Guam.
"Sound judgement, prudent decision-making and adherence to required procedures in navigation planning, watch team execution and risk management could have prevented the incident," the western Pacific-based 7th Fleet said in a statement, quoted by AFP.
After a damage assessment in Guam, the vessel will return to the US submarine base in Bremerton, Washington for repairs.
Last week the navy said the investigation showed that the submarine struck an uncharted "seamount" while patrolling below the surface.
Eleven sailors were injured in the accident. According to reports, the crash damaged the sub's forward ballast tanks, but its nuclear plant was not damaged.
The US Navy regularly conducts operations in the region to challenge China's disputed territorial claims on small islands, reefs and outcrops.
Aljilani was replaced by an interim commanding officer.
It is not clear how long it will take to the repair the submarine. While such crashes are rare, Navy ships in the Pacific have had a number of accidents in recent years.
In 2017, a US guided missile destroyer collided with an oil tanker near Singapore, killing 10 sailors.
