2015.01.23
U.S. Sealift Command ship runs aground off Okinawa
A U.S. Sealift Command cargo ship, ‘SGT Matej Kocac’ ran aground off Katsuren peninsula on Okinawa’s west coast, Thursday.
Acording to Japanese Coast Guard, the 821-feet long, 50,000-ton ship with a all-civilian crew of 122 ran aground at 11:40 a.m. about 5.3 kilometers south of Tsuken Island as it was on its way back to White Beach. The ship had left the White Beach Navy facility a day earlier.
According to Coast Guard officials, the ship sustained some damage and a part of it was temporarily flooded. However, they added that it is unlikely the ship would sink. There is no oil spilling from the ship and none of the crew was injured.
Japanese tugboats were sent to the scene to stabilize the ship and help it to get off the shoal.