July 14  Two Navy ships collided on Thursday, causing serious damage but no injuries. The USS Denver was being resupplied at sea by the USNS Yukon about 180 miles west of Hawaii when the incident happened at about 6:15 p.m.Hawaii time. Both ships are massively damaged, classified photos show. The Denver has a hole running across the ship, and portions of its anchor have been torn out. The Yukon has compartments that are open to the sea, though theyre not taking on water. There were no personnel injuries aboard either ship ... both vessels are seaworthy, said Navy spokesman Lt. Flex Plexico.

The ships were doing an underway replenishment, a tricky maneuver where two ships are brought facing each other at a near-standstill and supplies are sent over a line shot between the bows of the two ships. One of the ships may have lost steering because of a mechanical problem during the refueling, military sources said. The crash happened at the forward end of the ships above the water line, and neither ship is taking on water. The Denver has damage to its bow, or front, section, and the Yukon has damage to its starboard, or right, quarter, according to the Navy. Both ships have gashes in their hulls. Not the First Time The Yukon was involved in another crash on February 27, when it collided with a much smaller civilian cargo ship while trying to enter port in Dubai, in the Middle East. The Yukon sustained minor damage in that crash. Captain Mark J. Wilson headed the Yukons crew in both crashes, said Marge Holtz, spokeswoman for Military Sealift Command in Washington, D.C. A different helmsman was at the wheel during each crash. Thursdays crash is under investigation, Plexico said. The results of the investigation into the February crash havent been made public.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/shipscollide000714.html

-- Doris (reaper1@mindspring.com), July 15, 2000