Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine joined members of the Senate Armed Services Committee in grilling the Navy’s top leaders over a string of collisions with commercial vessels.
King expressed disbelief that there have been three collisions in recent months between warships and civilian vessels.
“It’s really unacceptable in this day and age, with the technology we have, to have something like this happen. This is just unacceptable to have this happen from just a modern seamanship point of view,” he said.
He said with today’s technology, lobstermen in Maine waters can determine when a flock of seagulls is close, let alone other boats.
King joined with other lawmakers in telling Navy leaders they need to improve safety measures and improve their seamanship. The Navy is still investigating four major incidents with its vessels this year.
