A minimum of 30 sailors and Marines have been injured off the Atlantic coast of Jacksonville, Florida, Wednesday when two touchdown hovercrafts collided.
Touchdown Craft Air Cushions, or LCACs, from each the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Wasp and the transport dock vessel USS New York crashed into one another, in accordance with a Navy announcement.
Sailors assigned to the Wasp Amphibious Prepared Group and and Marines assigned to the twenty fourth Marine Expeditionary Unit have been conducting a coaching train when the incident occurred, in accordance with the report.
The Western Journal reached out to the U.S. Navy for an replace on the incident.
Cmdr. Lara Bollinger, a Navy public data officer, stated that “[b]oth LCACs concerned remained afloat after the incident, and have since returned to their respective ships.”
Bollinger added that the collision “stays below investigation” and famous that the Navy will present extra data when it’s accessible.
She stated that each one 30 injured personnel acquired medical care. “Most accidents have been thought of minor, and people personnel returned to full obligation,” she added.
5 of the 30 servicemembers reportedly required superior medical care and have been airlifted to Savannah Memorial College Medical Middle in Southern Georgia, with most having been launched.
30 U.S. Navy Sailors from the USS Wasp (LHD-1) and USS New York (LPD-21) in addition to Marines with the twenty fourth Marine Expeditionary Unit have been Injured on Wednesday, following an Incident off the Coast of Jacksonville, Florida which concerned the Collision of two Touchdown Craft Air Cushions… pic.twitter.com/IttWXbOsI9
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Bollinger stated that “[o]f the 5 Sailors who have been medically evacuated, one stays below medical care at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia. The others have been handled and launched to return to obligation.”
“Our main focus is on our Sailor’s well being and well-being,” she added.
The vessels are presently at sea as a part of the Wasp Amphibious Prepared Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit 24 composite coaching unit train.
The Touchdown Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) is a high-speed, over-the-beach, amphibious touchdown hovercraft that’s constructed to hold a payload of as much as 75 tons, in accordance with a Navy web site.
They’re used to move the weapons methods, gear, cargo and personnel from ship to shore and throughout the seaside.
LCAC can carry even heavy gear akin to M-1 tanks at excessive speeds, which offers important advantages, the Navy website reported.
“Air cushion know-how permits this automobile to succeed in greater than 70 p.c of the world’s shoreline, whereas solely about 15 p.c of that shoreline is accessible by typical touchdown craft.”
This text appeared initially on The Western Journal.
