Troops injured in landing craft collision returned to duty or stable

Thirty-four service members have returned to duty and one sailor is in stable condition as of Friday, May 3, following a collision between two landing craft off the coast of Florida last week, according to the Navy.

Thirty-five sailors and Marines assigned to the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit were injured when two of the Navy’s “landing craft, air cushions,” or LCACs, collided during a training exercise near Jacksonville Wednesday.

The Navy did not say what caused the collision, which remains under investigation.

The service initially reported 30 sailors and Marines were injured in Wednesday’s incident but later updated that number to 35. “As the incident unfolded and aid was rendered, additional personnel received medical care, increasing the total number injured to 35 personnel,” the Navy said Friday in a news release.

Five sailors were medically evacuated for further care at Savannah Memorial University Medical Center, with four of them being released from the hospital after treatment, the Navy said Thursday.

One sailor was in stable condition and transported to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth May 3, according to Friday’s release. The medical center is the closest military treatment facility to the sailor’s home station of Norfolk, Virginia, the Navy said.

The LCACS, which transport troops and material from ship to shore, were from the amphibious assault ship Wasp and the amphibious transport dock New York.

A third LCAC rendered immediate assistance and transported all 38 sailors and Marines to the Wasp and New York, where troops with minor injuries were treated, the Navy said.

Navy Times editor Geoff Ziezulewicz contributed reporting to this story.