US warship collides with tugboat in catastrophic launch

The disastrous launch of a new US Navy warship sent a massive wave crashing into the considerably smaller tugboat used to tow the ship aboard.

The latest Freedom-class LCS (littoral combat ship) to be called USS Cleveland (LCS 31) will be “named and launched,” the US Navy announced on Friday.

An ancient method called “side launch” was used for the event at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard. Wisconsin Saturday at 10 am. The method is to use a small tugboat to pull a large vessel into the water with the help of gravity.

Drama films launch USS Cleveland is shown bobbing precariously in the water after sending a wave crashing into the small tug.

The images do not clearly show whether the USS Cleveland hit the tug or whether the force of the tug was enough to tip the large ship sharply to the other side after sending a wave of water over the tug.

The incident has raised serious questions about safety protocols and the effectiveness of the flanking system.

USS Cleveland is the US Navy’s sixteenth and latest addition to its Freedom Class LCS ships.

Mark Crowe, a senior lecturer in maritime studies at the University of Lincoln at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, told Newsweek that while it was not possible to visually confirm whether the new ship had collided with the tug, “it looks pretty close, probably a little bit. Closer for your convenience.”

Crowe said the lateral method is used when there is not enough water to launch a boat.

Before Saturday’s launch, Navy Secretary Carlos del Toro said the event “will be one step closer to joining our fleet, sailing the open seas, continuing to defend our nation and representing a strong connection to our Navy with the city.” Cleveland.

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Translation Michael Padilla

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