# U.S. Navy Ship Aground



## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21072275


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## PetranPireotis (Jun 3, 2012)

Oh no!! I think this is one of the ships that Greek Navy will take from US Navy due to their collaboration correspondance!


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

*USS Guardian*

A shot from the air. The reef can be clearly seen. Talk here about suing the US Navy for damages to a very important reef which is in a protected area due to the magnificent corals and marine life there.

Picture taken by the armed forces of the Philippines and released to ABS/CBN news.


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Just shown it on TV. She is now lying parallel to the reef and being battered by waves. No tugs in sight as yet.
According to the authorities no ship is allowed over that area with a special permit as its a coral/marine life preservation area.


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## kypros (Feb 13, 2010)

So is money going to put the reef right just someone trying to line there pockets.KYPROS


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

Blame it on the VDU.

http://www.newser.com/article/da3t8...inesweeper-to-run-aground-in-philippines.html

I wonder if the charts were OK as Greenpeace ran Rainbow Warrior aground in the same arear and were fined $7000 by the Filipino government who they blamed for supplying out of date and erroneous charts.


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

When still 'in the game' less than 2 years ago it was surprising to me how many ECDIS there were in use which relied on 'portfolios' included charts of inadequately proven provenance. Despite this being a military vessel it would be interesting to know if both kit and data were fully approved and, if so, by what standard.


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## Leratty (Jun 3, 2012)

Kypros whose a cynic today then? Na not the Filipinos  Who was the amusing President they had who was an actor of some kind? Crikey he used to make me smile think they actually put him in jail for a while too.


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## richardwakeley (Jan 4, 2010)

I think USS Guardian was navigating with Apple-map. We never hit Tubbataha Reef when we went that way on Blue Flue boats in 1970s using Admiralty charts.


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## RCFC (Mar 14, 2010)

kypros said:


> So is money going to put the reef right just someone trying to line there pockets.KYPROS


If we follow that line of reasoning, fines should only be imposed for actual damage caused? A drunk driver who runs a red light and consequently kills the driver of another car should only pay for the damage he causes to the car? Stunning logic!!


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

I see she is a Minesweeper and will have a shallow draught perhaps her C.O. thought he could take a short cut.


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## Iangb (Aug 28, 2009)

Salvors have removed Guardian's fuel.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/101016/salvage-team-removes-fuel-grounded-uss-guardian#.UQRHBPIZmJp


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

Now to be broken up. The savaging waves have exposed her wooden hull.

http://gcaptain.com/stricken-uss-guardian-broken-up/


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

A retired US Navy man here tells me the Guardians Captain is already being held in the States and is facing a court Marshal hearing.


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

Do the American's use this Class of Minesweepeer as first Command like the Ton's were used for.


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## callpor (Jan 31, 2007)

Bob Couttie on his website MarineAccident.org has been following this incident very closely. Yesterday added further details about the military digital chart DNS which was being used at the time of the grounding. Details can be seen at http://maritimeaccident.org/2013/01...st-islands-human-error-moved-reef/#more-19197 . Lots of red faces in the USN I guess?


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

The charting error is reported as 8nm in the Old Salt blog and the bridge crew ignored radio warnings that they were approaching the reef.
http://www.oldsaltblog.com/2013/01/...-why-was-it-near-the-reef-in-the-first-place/


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

What terminology is Digital Nautical Chart? Raster? Vector?

I don't know about US warships but if their naval practice follows the French then she may well have not received warnings as would a merchant vessel. Unless there is a record of a conversation with her I think any reports of a warning should be dismissed (to contact vessel attending distressed Mohammedia we needed to relay messages though Djibouti on 8 MHz. TT Stonehaven was nearest merchant ship, or nearest admitting to it, and we were 'in control' on MF W/T copying all that traffic to Djibouti for the warship and relaying any information from Djibouti. Not until we were in sight of the pair was VHF established bridge to bridge)


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Jim, the warning was probably some fisherman shouting


STOOOOOOOP!


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## 5036 (Jan 23, 2006)

Here is some info on the communications. Arrogance from the Guardian helped seal her fate.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/stor...rnings-it-was-nearing-reef-tubbataha-official

In my experience, locals as often treated as stupid when in fact they are highly intelligent, proud and dedicated people who will go to endless trouble to assist. I joined a recently arrived pipelay barge in Brunei in 1980 where the local customs officers had come aboard to simply do their job. The barge crew treated them as a joke and with arrogant, utter contempt, it was highly embarrassing. When lunch time came around they were directed to join the mess for the lower ranks with all the implications that inferred. That was the straw that broke the camel's back and the customs officers simply impounded the vessel and started detailed black gang type searches. The barge was tied up for three weeks whilst the client and local consular officials fought a long and grovelling action to allow the barge's release.


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