US Navy ships narrowly avoid head on collision in San Diego Bay

Two US Navy warships were forced to take evasive maneuvers to avoid a head-on collision in San Diego Bay on Tuesday.

Video captured by San Diego Webcam shows the guided-missile destroyer Momsen entering the harbour as the dock landing ship Harper’s Ferry exits.

The ships appear to be moving directly towards each other before the Momsen makes a hard turn to the left to avoid the larger ship.

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[SanDiegoWebCam]

You were authorized to use our footage WITH ON SCREEN CREDIT. Instead, you removed it. SMH

[johnpaulvanson]

Subsequently, the NPS removed this webcam per US Navy demands.

[chardtomp]

I'm not sure how they got that close. Normally in port you have a civilian harbor pilot directing the movement of the ship. In good visibility, in daylight, they should never have been so close that both ships had to maneuver to avoid the collision but that seems to be what happened.

[steveparker]

lol they narrowly avoid a collision in their own ports, not a good sign...

[DDayJayke]

I downloaded this video incase the Navy succeeds in having it all taken down so I can always remember it without having to remember the names of the ships

[willinilli]

The US Navy is an incredible war fighting force, but when it comes to basic navigation and collision avoidance skills it leaves a lot to be desired compared to their civilian counterparts. I used to be a warfare officer in the Royal Navy and there is a similar issue there, but not quite to the same extreme as the U.S navy. On a civilian ship almost full authority is placed on the officer of the watch to deal with collision avoidance situations directly as soon as they become aware of them, and if they become overwhelmed then they call the master. On a military vessel the decisions go up and down the chain of command and often by the time a decision has been made and the orders communicated, a situation that could have been resolved by a small alteration of course/speed has now become a large alteration of course and a dramatic reduction of speed/reversing of engines. I am now a captain of a large Superyacht and it's just me on the bridge along with a harbour pilot during situations like this, it's a lot easier to make an early decision and action it with confidence straight away when it's just 1-3 people on the bridge rather than about 10-15 like you'll find on a large warship.

[rchlletters]

I suppose the static was scrambling the actual verbal communication?

[lionelwhiskerknot]

I can already tell you that the Momsen should have been farther left in the channel as the larger ship at that point could not turn to starboard as it is too slow and to port of the larger ship is the buoy line and likely shoal water which would cause a grounding. I wouldn't be surprised if the larger ship did All Back to buy more time. Current's usually aren't bad in the harbor except at the bridge and I don't see much water traffic so not sure why Momsen waited so long to come to port. Typically both ships want to be somewhat center of channel unless there is traffic to account for set and drift. However, sometimes COs let junior officers conn the ship so they get training which might have had a role. But even then each ship has a designated harbor pilot so curios what the hell they were doing during all this.

[lajoswinkler]

If things like these happen in harbor, with own ships, I'm afraid what kind of communication is between systems that could harm more than two ships. You know what I mean.

[reeling-in]

I shall tell the cat 🐈‍⬛ this important news!

[rauldempaire]

Nothing to see here folks!... Just a carefully planed exercise of "chicken"!...
.

[ronvogel]

I think someone is going to have to write a memo.

[FreakyRicky]

Look at the flags they had a pilot on board

[davidvasta]

1. Narrowly is a bit of and statement. The channel speed is about 2 knots or 3 MPH. They have about 1000 (1000 meters) to 1500 yards between them.
2. The destroyer had just been released from the tug and the pier.
3. Both ships are at sea and anchor detail and are 100% aware of each other.
4. They both did the right thing to avoiding each other in a small channel in a Navy harbor.

The media is trying to make hay out of this but it's pretty normal. A Battlegroup going to the gulf or China consists of 7 to 12 ships and they all move together. This is what the Navy is the Navy. This is normal. There is ZERO reason for alarm.

[jmfu]

At least they didn't burn an aircraft carrier to the ground, oh wait? 🔥