2023-04-19 19:09:44
The seemingly disastrous launching of a new US Navy warship sent a huge wave of water crashing into the significantly smaller tugboat that was used to pull it overboard.
The United States Navy had announced on Friday that it would “christen and launch” the latest Freedom-class LCS (Littoral Combat Ship) known as USS Cleveland (LCS 31).
An ancient method known as “side launching” was used for the event at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin at 10 a.m. on Saturday. The method involves using a small tugboat to pull the larger ship into the water with the help of gravity.
The dramatic images of the launching show the USS Cleveland undulating dangerously in the water following sending a wave crashing into the smaller tug.
The images do not clearly show whether the USS Cleveland collided with the tug or if the force of the tug on the water was such that it caused the larger vessel to tilt sharply the other way following sending the wave of water over the tug.
The incident has reportedly raised serious questions regarding safety protocols and the effectiveness of the side-launch method.
USS Cleveland is the US Navy’s sixteenth and latest addition to its Freedom-class LCS ships.
Mark Grove, senior lecturer at the University of Lincoln Center for Maritime Studies at Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, told Newsweek that although he might not visually confirm whether the new ship hit the tug, “it looks very close, and probably be a little too close for your convenience.”
Grove also said the side-launch method is used when there isn’t enough water for the boat to launch.
Prior to Saturday’s launch, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said the event “will be one step closer to joining our fleet, sailing the open sea, continuing to defend our nation, and representing the strong connection our Navy has.” with the city of Cleveland.
Translation of Michelle Padilla
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