A US Navy warship crashed into a supply vessel during a refueling operation, as confirmed by the US military’s Southern Command.
Two individuals sustained minor injuries on Wednesday during the replenishment-at-sea exercise, according to Southern Command, and both are in stable condition.
The US Navy ships involving a guided missile destroyer and a fast combat support ship, have both proceeded safely away from the collision site near South America.
Southern Command did not disclose the cause of the collision, stating that the matter is under investigation.
The precise site of the collision involving the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply remains unclear at this time.
According to sources, the USNS Supply has been active in the Caribbean, which falls under the jurisdiction of Southern Command.
This command also oversees certain areas of the South Atlantic and the South Pacific. In recent months, US President Donald Trump has mandated a military buildup in the Caribbean as part of the administration’s declared objective to combat drug trafficking.
On Thursday, two individuals lost their lives following a US military strike on an alleged drug vessel in the eastern Pacific, contributing to a total of at least 38 fatal strikes on suspected drug boats in the region since Trump resumed office.
US Navy accidents
The recent collision of US Navy ships marks the first recorded mishap in the Caribbean. However, the Navy has recently experienced a series of accidents in the Middle East involving the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, which were partially attributed to the high-stress environment.
During its deployment from September 2024 to May 2025, the group encountered a friendly fire incident in December, where a Navy destroyer mistakenly launched missiles at two F-18s, a collision with a merchant vessel in February, and the loss of two F-18s, one in April and another in May.
