The Master of an NYK chartered containership ACX Crystal has blamed the US warship USS Fitzgerald for a fatal collision off Japan.
The collision on 17 June left seven dead and three injured on the destroyer after it collided with the containership.
In a report to the Japanese owners of the ACX Dainichi Investment Corporation Captain Ronald Advincula said the USS Fitzgerald steamed suddenly across its path and ignored warning lights.
The report said the containership steered hard starboard to the warship but the vessels collided 10 minutes later at 1.30am.
As to why the containership took nearly an hour to report the accident to the Japan Coast Guard at 2.25am, Advincula said there was “confusion” on the vessel’s bridge with it making a u-turn to return to the scene of the collision six nautical miles further on.
The US Navy declined to comment on the allegation.
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