WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earlier on Monday, five sailors were injured after the McCain collided with the Alnic MC near the Malacca straits. Four sailors were taken to local hospitals and the injury of the fifth sailor did not require hospital assistance.
"I also fully support the chief of Naval operations, Adm. John Richardson’s efforts right now. He has put together a broader inquiry to look into these incidents," Mattis told reporters.
21 August 2017, 04:18 GMT
The defense secretary said there is a separate investigation underway that would determine what happened to US destroyer John S. McCain, which is damaged after colliding with an oil tanker off the coast of Singapore.
The collision is the second by a US ship with a civilian vessel in the Seventh Fleet area of operations this summer.
In June, seven sailors were killed when the US destroyer Fitzgerald hit a cargo ship off the coast of Japan.
