The United States aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy collided with a refueling vessel at sea last night, extensively damaging both ships, CNN has learned. Sources inside the Pentagon have revealed that the smaller ship, the USNS Patuxent, was transferring jet fuel to the carrier while both ships were underway. Rougher than expected seas caused the two ships to collide, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel. Reports from fishing boats in the area indicate that the spilled fuel may have caught fire. At daybreak, the Kennedy was seen listing heavily, and the Patuxent was not visible nearby.
The US Navy has refused official comment, and possible casualties are unknown.
Acting President Raul Castro of Cuba has offered to support rescue efforts, and Cuban medical teams have been placed in a state of readiness. It is expected that this offer, like a similar offer after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, will be rejected by the United States.
Observers near the Pensacola Naval Air Station report that aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 17, which had been attached to the Kennedy and based in Virginia, were landing at Pensacola, fuelling speculation that the Kennedy may be too seriously damaged to serve as a platform for aircraft. Aircraft of the 17th Air Wing were seen leaving Virginia Beach early last evening, presumed destined for the aging carrier.
The Kennedy was scheduled to be decomissioned yesterday at Naval Station Mayport, in Duval County, Florida. The decomissioning ceremony was cancelled when reports emerged of the death of Fidel Castro, and by late afternoon, the Kennedy was underway, with plans to form a carrier battle group and air wing as the carrier entered the northern Caribbean.
