10 Sailors Missing After US Warship Hits Tanker

At least 10 US sailors are missing after the USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker early Monday east of Singapore and the Strait of Malacca in the second collision involving a ship from the Navy's 7th Fleet in the Pacific in two months. The Navy says five other sailors were hurt in the collision involving the guided-missile destroyer, the AP reports. The McCain—named after Sen. John McCain's grandfather—was heading to Singapore for a routine port visit, the Navy says. It spent last week conducting a sensitive freedom of navigation operation by sailing near one of China's man-made islands in the South China Sea.

It wasn't immediately clear if the oil and chemical tanker Alnic MC sustained damage or casualties. The McCain was damaged on its port side aft, or left rear, from the accident that happened at 5:24am, the Navy's 7th Fleet said, but it was heading to port under its own power. Malaysia's navy chief says two ships as well as aircraft from its navy and air force have been deployed to help look for the missing US sailors. Sen. McCain tweeted: "Cindy & I are keeping America's sailors aboard the USS John S McCain in our prayers tonight - appreciate the work of search & rescue crews." In June, seven sailors were killed when the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant vessel off the coast of Japan. (More Navy stories.)