Video: US Navy Vessels Maneuver to Avoid Collision

Webcam footage from San Diego, California’s harbor captured an apparent close call between two U.S. Navy warships maneuvering in the harbor, although in analysis experts are saying it looks worse in the video than it was at the moment. Nonetheless, the video is making its rounds on the Internet labeled “Warship Chicken.”

The San Diego Web Cam shows the two U.S. Navy vessels maneuvering in opposite directions in a narrow section of the harbor channel between the Naval Base at Point Loma and the Naval Air Station on North Island. The video’s date and time stamp show it as Tuesday, November 29, mid-morning local time.

The Momsen, an Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer (544 feet long) stationed in San Diego is inbound. Outbound is the Harpers Ferry, a dock-landing ship (610 feet in length).

 

(Note the audio is not in sync. San Diego Web Cam notes the audio is delayed from the images you are seeing.)

 

“Both ships maneuvered safely, Lt. Samuel Boyle, a spokesperson for the 3rd Fleet told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “There were no injuries or damage to the ships as a result of those maneuvers.” However, the Navy said that they would be investigating what they termed an “in close vicinity,” incident.

Noted commentator Sal Mercogliano after viewing the various videos notes that the ships did not appear to violate “the rules of the road.” The audio shows that the ships agreed on their maneuvers but Mercogliano questioned the timing of the maneuver and why they waited until they were in such close proximity.