US Naval Ship Aground off Japanese Coast
The U.S. Navy and Japanese authorities are working to refloat a Military Sealift Command vessel after it ran aground Thursday off the coast of Okinawa.
The Sgt. Matej Kocak, a Military Sealift Command ship led by a civilian crew, ran aground off the coast of Uruma at 11:30 a.m. local time and the Navy is working with Japan to free the 821-foot-long container ship, whose size is roughly equivalent to an amphibious assault ship.
Cmdr. William Marks, spokesman for the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet said that the safety of the civilian crew members and the environment was their top priorities. U.S. Navy is taking this situation very seriously and will continue to investigate the situation until it's resolved.
None of the 131 people aboard was injured, the navy said, adding that the ship was not leaking fuel and not receiving water.
Japanese officers and divers will investigate the situation Friday, a Japan Coast Guard spokesman said.
An early assessment found no hull leaks and no damage to the surrounding area, the release stated. Tugboats were on scene to stabilize the vessel and further assess the situation. Ship groundings can cause significant damage to ship hulls, propellers and surrounding infrastructure.
