BREAKING: Maryland Navy Sailor Killed In USS Fitzgerald Collision

YOKOSUKA, JAPAN — A sailor from Halethorpe, Maryland is one of the seven service members killed when the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) was involved in a collision with the Philippine-flagged merchant vessel ACX Crystal, the U.S. 7th Fleet Public said in a news release Sunday night. The remains of seven sailors previously reported missing were located in flooded berthing compartments, after divers gained access to the damaged spaces June 18.

One of the deceased is from Maryland: Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin, 24, from Halethorpe, Maryland.

The other deceased are:

• Gunner’s Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, Virginia
• Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from San Diego, California
• Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T Truong Huynh, 25, from Oakville, Connecticut
• Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, Texas
• Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlosvictor Ganzon Sibayan, 23, from Chula Vista, California
• Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37, from Elyria, Ohio

»SIGN UP: Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts, or like us on Facebook. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.

The incident is currently under investigation, the U.S. Navy said Sunday night. The USS Fitzgerald, a Navy destroyer ship stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, was involved in a collision with a Philippine merchant ship off the coast of Japan Friday.

The ship suffered significant damage as a result and had to be taken back to its base where authorities were able to access the damaged parts of the ship and find the bodies of a number of sailors in flooded berthing compartments.

Naval officials commended the crew Sunday for working tirelessly to keep the ship from foundering or sinking.

Acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackley said in statement that he is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of the shipmates, and "our thoughts and prayers are with their families."

"In due time, the United States Navy will fully investigate the cause of this tragedy and I ask all of you to keep the Fitzgerald families in your thoughts and prayers as we begin the task of answering the many questions before us."

Here's what you need to know about the ship and the collision:

What is a destroyer ship?

Navy destroyers are warships that provide offensive and defensive capabilities. They can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups and can conduct anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. According to the Navy, the destroyer was born out of a need to counter the torpedo boat, which first appeared in the Chilean Civil War of 1891 and in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. The USS Fitzgerald is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that was commissioned in 1994.

What is the USS Fitzgerald doing in Japan?

The USS Fitzgerald has been in Japan since 2004 and is one of 15 destroyers and three cruisers used to counter ballistic missile threats worldwide and is part of the Navy's Seventh Fleet. The ship has since participated in a number of exercises with navies of different countries and in 2011, along with the USS Ronald Reagan, it was deployed to assist with relief efforts after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

What exactly happened during the collision?

According to the Navy, the ship was involved in a collision with a merchant vessel around 2:20 a.m. local time on Saturday though details surrounding the incident are unclear. Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin said at a press conference that he is launching an investigation and will be assigning a flag officer to lead that investigation.
There will also be a safety investigation and the U.S. Coast Guard will take the lead on the marine casualty investigation.

Aucoin provided a bit more detail on what happened to the ship during the collision.

"The damage included a significant impact under the ship's pilothouse on the starboard side and a large puncture below the ship's waterline, opening the hull to the sea," Aucoin said. "The ship suffered severe damage rapidly flooding 3 large compartments that included 1 machinery room and 2 berthing areas for 116 crew. The Commanding Officer's cabin was also directly hit, trapping the CO inside."

The commanding officer, Cdr. Bryce Benson, was one of three crew members who were medically evacuated. All those evacuated are awake and remain under observation.

It could have been worse

Aucoin commended the crew, the "fighting FITZ," saying their response was swift and effective and their efforts prevented the flooding from catastrophically spreading, which could have led to the ship sinking.

"It could have been much worse," he said.

With limited navigation, the crew was able to take the ship back to its base.

Bodies of sailors recovered

The Navy announced on Saturday that the bodies of a "number of sailors" were recovered from flooded berthing compartments though they did not say exactly how many sailors were found. The Navy had initially said seven sailors were missing.

The Navy is providing support to the affected families and has set up a USS Fitzgerald Emergency Family Assistance Center.

"I ask all of you to keep the affected families in your thoughts and prayers, and respect their privacy as we work to get them the answers they deserve regarding their loved ones," Aucoin said.
Patch Editor Feroze Dhanoa contributed to this story.

Image via US Navy