The U.S. Navy has finally released the names of the seven sailors who lost their lives after their warship was hit by a massive Filipino container ship off the coast of Japan.
The crew members were all sleeping in their cabins, known as berthing compartments, when the USS Fitzgerald was struck on Friday.
Merchant vessel ACX Crystal, which at around 29,000 tonnes was three times the size of the Fitzgerald, smashed into the side of the warship causing devastating flooding on board.
Seven men, the youngest of whom was just 19-years-old, are believed to have drowned in the accident.
Three others were injured in the disaster, including the ship’s Commander Bryce Benson who was taken to hospital.
The ship, armed with missiles, was off the southwest coast of Yokosuka, Japan, at the time.
“This loss is something we all feel,” Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, told reporters.
The sailors are listed according to the photograph above.
- Fire Controlman 1st Class Gary Leo Rehm Jr
- Fire Controlman 2nd Class Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan
- Gunner’s Mate Seaman Dakota Kyle Rigsby
- Personnel Specialist 1st Class Xavier Alec Martin
- Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez
- Sonar Technician 3rd Class Ngoc T Truong Huynh
- Yeoman 3rd Class Shingo Alexander Douglass
Read more: Mirror
