Watch issues led to near-collision in San Diego, report finds - By Diana Stancy Correll and Geoff Ziezulewicz

 

The Navy has released its preliminary investigation into how two warships nearly collided in San Diego Bay in November 2022. (Screenshot from San Diego Web Cam via Twitter)

Communication issues and a failure to maintain proper watch on the bridge led to a near-collision between the guided-missile destroyer Momsen and the dock landing ship Harpers Ferry last year, according to a preliminary investigation obtained by Navy Times.

In November 2022, the Momsen and Harpers Ferry were transiting in opposite directions “in close vicinity” to one another in San Diego Bay, U.S. 3rd Fleet spokesman Lt. Samuel Boyle previously told Navy Times. The incident, which was captured on video and posted to the @SanDiegoWebCam Twitter account, did not involve any injuries to sailors, nor any damage to either ship.

Preliminary Inquiry into the Near-Miss Between Harpers Ferry and Momsen

The report determined several factors contributed to the near collision, including:

• Failure from the Momsen to follow procedures maintaining a proper watch on bridge-to-bridge as it related to the tactical communicator position
• Failure from the Momsen to maintain proper watch on bridge-to-bridge
• Failure from the Harpers Ferry to adhere to Bridge Resource Management
• Failure from both ships to communicate using secondary communication channels
• Failure from both ships’ Combat Information Centers to provide forceful backup to the pilothouse

Several other factors, which were redacted, were also included in the report.

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