President Trump on Saturday tweeted his thoughts and prayers for seven missing U.S. sailors after a collision between an American destroyer and merchant vessel near Japan.
“Thoughts and prayers with the sailors of USS Fitzgerald and their families. Thank you to our Japanese allies for their assistance,” Trump tweeted.
Trump shared a tweet from the U.S. 7th Fleet showing the USS Fitzgerald, which returned to Yokosuka, Japan, where it is based.
Aided by two tug boats, the ship returned to base shortly after 6 p.m. following an early-morning collision some 56 nautical miles away.
U.S. and Japanese authorities continued searching by boat and aircraft for seven sailors from the USS Fitzgerald after it collided with a Philippine-flagged 730-foot container ship around 2:30 a.m. local time.
Several Japanese ships were assisting in search and rescue operations and a Japanese helicopter also transported the ship’s commanding officer to a U.S. Navy hospital in Yokosuka.
The 7th Fleet said that three U.S. sailors including the commanding officer, Cmdr. Bryce Benson, required medical evacuation. The sailors were awake and under observation at the hospital.
Vice President Pence, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton were among those offering support for the sailors and their families on Saturday:
Updated: 11:11 a.m.