Japanese Destroyer Collision Caused by Negligence

On Feb.19 at 4:07 a.m. the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force destroyer, Atago, collided with a small fishing vessel, the Seitoku Maru, in the pacific just off of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. The 7,700-ton destroyer apparently struck the smaller vassal’s wheel house broadside slicing the ship in half instantly. 

According to the MSDF, the Atego alerted the Japanese coast guard about 17 minutes after the collision, the JCG responded with five patrol boats, three aircraft, and a four-member diving team who searched the wreckage of the Seitoku Maru for survivors with no results. The father and son crew, Tetsuhiro, 23 and Haruo Kichisei, 58, have not yet been recovered. 

The JCG immediately launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. They acquired a warrant to search the Atago as soon as it arrived at Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The warrant was obtained on the basis that the JCG believed that the Atago’s crew endangered maritime traffic through negligence. They were looking far any clues related directly to the accident and examined the surface radar system and determined that it was functioning properly. The JCG also questioned the crew of the Atago about events leading up to the collision while divers examined the hull of the ship for any additional clues. 

As a result of information and evidence obtained during the investigation the accident is believed to be the result of negligence on the part of the destroyer’s crew. The smaller vessel should have appeared on the Atago’s radar as early as 30 minutes before the collision although the JCG is unsure if it was detected. The initial report filed by the Defense Ministry stated that the crew of the Atego saw the Seitoku Maru’s navigation light only two minutes before the collision however new information reveals that at least one watch crew member saw the light 12 minute prior to the accident. The investigation also reveals that the Atago was returned to manual control and evasive action ordered only one minute before impact. Maritime law requires all ships to yield right of way to vessels approaching from the right. Grey paint traces found on the recovered wreckage of the Seitoku Maru shows that it was hit on the port side indicating that the Atago was required to yield and failed to do so. 

Maritime law also requires all ships operating at night to display a green light on the starboard side and a red light on the port side, in this manner other ships can determine position and heading. Ships towing any object, including fishing nets, must display an additional light visible from all directions. At this time it is believed that the Seitoku Maru was in compliance with with applicable laws at the time of the accident. This seems to indicate that the fishing vessel should have been easily visible and the collision avoidable. 

It is now being reported that Adm. Eiji Yoshikawa, the Maritime Self Defense Force’s chief of staff, is expected to be relieved of duty for failing to report the accident to the prime minister in a timely manner. His possible successors are Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Tamotsu Kato and Vice Adm. Yoji Koda. 

The incident has some Japanese officials asking the question, if the destroyer could not detect and avoid a collision with a well marked fishing trawler what could they expect in the event of a terrorist attack against one of there ships.