USS John S. McCain to be repaired in Yokosuka, Japan

The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) was involved in a collision with the 50,700 dwt Liberian flagged tanker Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21

OCTOBER 4, 2017 — The Navy will repair the guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) at the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility-Japan Regional Maintenance Center in Yokosuka, Japan. Repairs will begin upon arrival at the shipyard from Singapore aboard a heavy lift vessel in October.

The destroyer was involved in a collision with the 50,700 dwt Liberian flagged tanker Alnic MC while underway east of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore on Aug. 21. Ten sailors lost their lives in the incident,

Damage assessments conducted while the ship was moored in Singapore since the Aug. 21 collision revealed the scope of work could be completed in Japan at the lowest estimated cost, returning the ship to full service at the earliest opportunity.

Repairing the ship in Yokosuka, where it is already part of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) assigned to U.S. Seventh Fleet, also provides stability and continuity to crew members and their families, says the Navy,

In addition to supporting repairs to the ship, the crew will focus on training, readiness and certifications to prepare the ship for operational tasking in Seventh Fleet.