The commanding officer of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was relieved of his duty on Thursday, just over a week after the vessel collided with a merchant ship.
The commanding officer of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was relieved of his command on Thursday, more than a week after the ship collided with a merchant vessel where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Suez Canal.
According to a press release, Capt. Dave Snowden was relieved due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command. He has been temporarily assigned to Naval Air Forces Atlantic, which, a senior U.S. Navy official told Fox News, is essentially a career-ender.
“Something didn’t happen that should have happened. A ship that hasn’t taken measures to avoid a collision, it’s on the captain. The buck stops with him,” the senior Navy official said.
Snowden’s removal comes after the Truman was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M on Feb. 12, while getting ready to enter the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea.
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That night, the carrier passed near Port Said en route from the Mediterranean back to the Red Sea.
The senior Navy official said as the carrier approached the mouth of the waterway, it got crowded, adding it was just before midnight.
The circumstances of the collision are under investigation, the official added, and while not complete, the official said relief of the commanding officer was warranted.
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“The U.S. Navy holds commanding officers to the highest standard and takes action to hold them accountable when those standards are not met,” the press release read. “Naval leaders are entrusted with significant responsibilities to their Sailors and their ships.”
Snowden was relieved by Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, after serving as the aircraft carrier’s commanding officer since December 2023. In the meantime, Capt. Christopher Hill, commanding officer of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, will temporarily serve as the Truman’s interim commanding officer.
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Photos released on Saturday by the Navy’s Sixth Fleet show a tear on the starboard side of the Truman, near its stern.
A pipe running along the side of the ship appears to be severely damaged as well, though all the damage is above the water line.
The ship is currently being repaired at Souda Bay in Greece, and the senior official said it should be a matter of days before it is able to return to the Red Sea.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman contributed to this report.
