U.S. Navy minesweeper runs aground off Philippines

[Sherman A1]

A U.S. Navy minesweeper, the USS Guardian, ran aground in the Sulu Sea off the Philippines on Thursday, and was stuck on a reef, the Navy said.

No one was injured in the incident, which occurred at 2:25 a.m. local time on Tubbataha Reef about 80 miles east-southeast of Palawan Island, in the Philippines, the Navy said. There were no reports that any fuel leaked from the vessel.

The ship, with a crew of 80, had just completed a port call at Subic Bay in the Philippines, when the grounding occurred.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/17/us-usa-navy-grounding-idUSBRE90G06H20130117

[Scuba]

1. Let's see. A visit Olongapo, then beach the boat. Is there a cause/effect relationship here?

[whistler162]

2. Dang you George Takei!

[dballance]

3. I Hope For the Captain's Sake he's Close to Retirement

Or he'll enjoy his new desk job.

[Separation]

4. He/She will be looking for a new job by the summer

Navy is sacking Captains left and right. He/She will be abe to retire though but it will be within the year.

[Sherman A1]

5. Agreed

me thinks the Captain's Days of commanding a ship are over.

[dballance]

9. I apologize for my sexist assumption the capt. was male in the OP /eom

[Separation]

10. No need for apology. :)

Turns out you were right, the Guardian is commanded by Lieutenant Commander Mark A. Rice.

[davidpdx]

6. I hear Carnival Cruise Lines subsidiary is hiring in Europe

They will hire anyone.

[Motown_Johnny]

7. Mission creep, they started looking for landmines

[Enrique]

8. picture of the captain

[PoliticAverse]

11. Update: Stranded Navy minesweeper taking on water

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2013/01/dn-stranded-navy-minesweeper-taking-on-water-012013/

[ManiacJoe]

17. 8-mile error on the reef location....

And you thought that the various online road maps were bad.....

[Aristus]

12. Kiss your Naval career goodbye, skipper.

Maritime charts exist for a reason...

[Brother Buzz]

14. Interesting, it looks like the charts (digital nautical charts) may have been faulty

[font size = "4"]Navy Ship May Have Run Aground Because Of A Faulty Map[/font size = "4"]
Hrvoje Hranjski, Associated Press | Jan. 20, 2013, 9:48 AM

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — An inaccurate map that mislocated a marine sanctuary may have caused a U.S. Navy minesweeper to run aground on a coral reef in the Philippines this week, the Navy said Saturday

<snip>

The Navy said in a statement that a review of Digital Nautical Charts, which are used for safe navigation by all U.S. Navy ships, found they contained inaccurate data and may have been a factor in the Guardian's grounding. As a result, Navigator of the Navy Rear Adm. Jonathan White released precautionary guidance to all Pacific Fleet ships, saying that "initial review of navigation data indicates an error in the location of Tubbataha Reef" in the Philippines.

"While the erroneous navigation chart data is important information, no one should jump to conclusions," said Pacific Fleet spokesman Capt. Darryn James. "It is critical that the U.S. Navy conduct a comprehensive investigation that assesses all the facts surrounding the Guardian grounding."

<more>

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-ship-may-have-ran-aground-because-of-a-faulty-map-2013-1#ixzz2IaWsoEVK

[Aristus]

15. Okay.

Looks like he will have a strong defense at the inquiry.

[Brother Buzz]

16. That, or his Pops is a high ranking Admiral

A cynic, I am.

[ellisonz]

13. Fer Christ Sakes!