TOKYO: A US Navy destroyer collided with a Philippine-flagged container ship off the coast of Japan early Saturday, leaving seven crew members from the American vessel unaccounted for, the Japanese Coast Guard said. The collision between the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the ACX Crystal took place southwest of Yokosuka, Japan at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday (1730 GMT Friday), the US Navy and Japan’s coastguard said. The coastguard said it was looking for the seven missing crew based on information it had received from the US Navy. “We are currently searching for the missing individuals,” a coastguard spokesman said, also confirming that another crew member had sustained serious injuries. “All of our thoughts and concerns are with the Fitzgerald crew and their families.”The Japanese coastguard has sent five vessels, two planes and a team of specially trained rescue personnel to the area, the spokesman said.

Source: Manila Times June 17, 2017 03:22 UTC