The mine countermeasures ship USS Guardian ran aground off of the Philippines on Thursday while transiting the Sulu Sea.
The Navy says the Avenger-class ship ran aground on Tubbataha Reef at 2:25 a.m. local time.
The Guardian had just completed a port call in Subic Bay, Olongapo City and was en route to her next port of call when the grounding occurred. The ship is currently stuck on the reef, approximately 80 miles east-southeast of Palawan Island. The crew is currently working to determine the best method of safely extracting the ship.
The cause of the grounding is under investigation.
Guardian is forward-deployed to Sasebo, Japan and was commissioned Dec. 16, 1989. It has a crew of about 80.
