Senior officers removed from duty after Fitzgerald collision

Three senior Navy officers have been removed from command pending discipline over the collision of the USS Fitzgerald and a Philippines cargo ship in June.

Close to a dozen sailors in total will be disciplined for the incident, Reuters reported on Thursday. The ship’s commanding officer, executive officer and master chief will be removed from command, according to the Navy.

“We’ve lost trust and confidence in their ability to lead,” Adm. Bill Moran, deputy chief of naval operations, told reporters on Thursday.

{mosads}The collision occurred in June off the coast of Japan, and the Navy has been faulted for the incident, according to CNN. Seven U.S. sailors died in the crash.

According to the initial reports, the Fitzgerald’s crew did not take action needed to avoid the collision.

Rear Adm. Dawn Cutler said last month that the Navy will release the findings of the investigation to the public once the probe is completed.

“Once we have a detailed understanding of the facts and circumstances, we will share those findings with the Fitzgerald families, our Congressional oversight committees and the general public,” Cutler said.