The US Navy has fired two senior officers of the Seventh Fleet in the wake of a series of mishaps, most notably two collisions with commercial vessels in Asian waters that left multiple fatalities, according to Reuters and Bloomberg.
Monday’s dismissals of Rear Admiral Charles Williams (commander of task Force 70) and Captain Jeffrey Bennett (commander of Destroyer Squadron 15) followed August’s removal of Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin in connection with the same incidents.
In June, the destroyer USS Fitzgerald collided with container ship ACX Crystal off of Japan, leading to seven Navy sailors’ deaths.
And in August, guided-missile destroyer USS John McCain collided with the tanker Alnic MC in the Strait of Malacca, causing 10 Navy personnel’s deaths.
Meanwhile, US Senator John McCain has criticized the country’s military, particularly the Navy for lack of training, lack of preparedness, and lack of equipment.
McCain a Republican for Arizona, and a renowned Vietnam War veteran, targeted Congress for cuts in funding to the services.
