“Ingalls and all of its employees regret the tragic circumstances that will bring the ship to Pascagoula,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias, “but it is an honor and a privilege to work with the Navy to return the ship to the fleet in the shortest time possible.” Ingalls has a history of repairing damaged Navy ships, including the frigate USS Stark (FFG 31) and USS Cole (DDG 67), a guided missile destroyer in the same class as Fitzgerald. On 17 June 2017, USS Fitzgerald collided with ACX Crystal, a Philippine-flagged container ship. The starboard side of Fitzgerald was seriously damaged. The container ship's bulbous bow penetrated the destroyer's hull below the waterline, flooding a machinery space, the radio room, and two crew berthing spaces. Seven crewmen were reported missing after the collision, but their bodies were found the next day after rescue workers gained access to flooded compartments. Several others were injured, including the ship's commanding officer.
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