USS Barry runs aground in Turkish port

[Lex]

The destroyer Barry ran soft aground in a Turkish port Thursday morning, Navy officials said Friday, but initial inspections have shown no damage to the ship and its mission probably will not be affected.
The destroyer was being maneuvered by tugs in the Black Sea port of Samsun, Turkey, when the aft section of the ship became caught on a sand bar, said Cmdr. Scott Miller, a 6th Fleet spokesman. No one was hurt.
Turkish coast guard divers inspected the Norfolk, Va.-based Barry's hull for damage as it was hung up on the silt, then the tugs pushed it free. The destroyer then moored normally.
Commercial divers inspected the ship's underside, its propellers and rudders, and found no damage, Miller said. A team of U.S. Navy divers was to make its own examination Saturday.
A Turkish harbor pilot was aboard the Barry when the ship grounded, according to a Pentagon official, but it isn't clear if the pilot was in charge of navigating the ship or the ship's crew was in control.
The Barry has been in the 6th Fleet area of operations since August, Miller said, training with NATO warships in the Black Sea.

Navy News
Posted : Friday Oct 24, 2008 13:12:17 EDT