Collision Between US Navy Ships During Refueling Operation

Thu Feb 12 2026 21:02:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Two US Navy vessels recently collided during a replenishment operation near South America, resulting in minor injuries but no major incidents reported.

A US Navy warship collided with a supply vessel during a refueling operation, leading to minor injuries of two personnel confirmed by the US military's Southern Command. The incident is currently under investigation, and both vessels have resumed safe sailing. The specific cause of the accident has not been disclosed, highlighting the complexities of naval operations in this region.

A US Navy warship collided into a Navy supply vessel during a refuel operation, the US military's Southern Command confirmed to the BBC.

Two people reported minor injuries during Wednesday's replenishment-at-sea operation, Southern Command said, and are in stable condition.

The vessels - a guided missile destroyer and fast combat support ship - have both continued sailing safely from the site of the incident near South America.

Southern Command did not say what caused the collision and said the incident was currently under investigation.

The exact location of the crash between the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply was not immediately clear.

The USNS Supply ship has been operating in the Caribbean, according to the Wall Street Journal, which is part of Southern Command's area of responsibility. Southern Command is also responsible for parts of the South Atlantic and the South Pacific.

The US has bolstered its military presence in the Caribbean as part of ongoing efforts to target drug trafficking and enforce sanctions against Venezuela.