Miami: A US warship and a US Navy supply vessel, both part of the military buildup in the Caribbean, were involved in a collision during a ship-to-ship refueling operation, as reported by US media. The incident resulted in minor injuries to two individuals who are currently in stable condition.

According to Anadolu Agency, Col. Emmanuel Ortiz, the spokesman for the US Southern Command, confirmed that both ships have maintained the capability to continue their operations safely. The cause of the collision remains undetermined, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the details of the incident. The collision took place in the Southern Command's area of responsibility, which encompasses the Caribbean as well as parts of the South Atlantic and South Pacific.

The naval buildup in the southern Caribbean commenced last August, with the objective of combating drug trafficking activities in the region. This initiative follows a directive from President Donald Trump, who instructed the US Armed Forces to employ military force against Latin American drug cartels, labeling the traffickers as narcoterrorists. This designation has been a subject of debate among legal analysts and critics of President Trump.

This collision marks the first reported incident involving US Navy ships since February 12, 2025, when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant vessel near Port Said, Egypt, without resulting in injuries. Notably, in 2017, two separate collisions involving US Navy destroyers and merchant ships in the Pacific resulted in the tragic loss of 17 sailors. On June 17, 2017, the USS Fitzgerald collided with the Philippine-flagged container ship MV ACX Crystal off the coast of Japan, claiming the lives of seven sailors. Subsequently, on August 21, the Liberian-flagged tanker Alnic MC struck the destroyer USS John S. McCain in the Strait of Malacca, resulting in the drowning of 10 sailors.