The Wasp Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are continuing their composite training unit exercise at sea following a collision between two Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs), which injured 30 Sailors and Marines off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday. The incident has not deterred the units from carrying on with their training, which is designed to prepare them for a variety of missions.
30 Marines/Sailors were injured in an LCAC mishap off the coast of Savannah, GA on Wednesday. Most were treated aboard the USS Wasp (LHD 1) or USS New York (LPD 21) however 5 were medevac'd to a hospital in Savannah for treatment.
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According to Cmdr. Lara Bollinger, a Navy public information officer, both LCACs involved in the collision remained afloat and have since returned to their respective ships, the USS Wasp and USS New York. The Navy is currently investigating the cause of the collision and plans to provide more information as it becomes available.
Five of the injured Sailors were airlifted to Savannah Memorial University Medical Center in Southern Georgia for advanced medical care, with four of them having been treated and released, while one remains under medical care at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP), where the Sailor was transferred to receive care closer to family. The remaining injured personnel received medical attention aboard their ships, with most injuries considered minor and those Sailors and Marines returning to full duty.
“Our primary focus is on our Sailor’s health and well-being,” Bollinger stated, emphasizing the Navy’s commitment to the safety and well-being of its personnel while also highlighting the importance of the ongoing training exercise.
LCACs are high-speed, over-the-beach, amphibious landing hovercraft capable of carrying payloads of up to 75 tons, including heavy equipment such as M-1 tanks, to more than 70 percent of the world’s coastline, making them a crucial component of the units’ training and readiness.
