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USS Antietam guided-missile cruiser runs aground, leaks oil

Posted at 10:07 AM, Feb 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-01 10:07:36-05

The USS Antietam, a US Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, damaged its propellers and spilled hydraulic oil into the water after running aground off the coast of Japan.

160306-N-MJ645-032 SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 6, 2016) The Ticonderoga-class  guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) sails alongside the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93). Antietam is underway in the 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Marcus L. Stanley/Released)

160306-N-MJ645-032 SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 6, 2016)Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) 

The incident, which occurred Tuesday while the ship was anchoring in Tokyo Bay near Yokosuka, Japan, did not result in any injuries to US or Japanese personnel, but the discharge of up to 1,100 gallons of hydraulic oil prompted environmental concerns.

“The Navy is cooperating with the Government of Japan and Local Japanese Coast Guard in response to this issue and is exhausting all options to minimize impacts to the environment,” according to a statement from Kyoko Sugita, a US Navy spokesperson.

The US has deployed a vessel to monitor the area for any visible signs of oil on the shoreline and vowed to initiate immediate clean-up procedures if any is detected.

The USS Antietam was able to safely return to Yokosuka Naval base with the help of tug boats following the incident and continuing inspections show that oil is no longer leaking from the ship, the Navy said.

An investigation is underway to assess the full extent of the damage to the ship, according to the Navy.

The 567-foot USS Antietam was commissioned in 1987 and is part of the US Navy’s permanent rotation of forces deployed in the Pacific.

While it is primarily equipped for anti-submarine warfare, the Antietam is also capable of defeating threats from the air, land and sea.