Navy Ousts USS Harry Truman Commander After Collision Near Suez Canal

Capt. Dave Snowden has been relieved of duty as commanding officer of the USS Harry S. Truman following a collision with a merchant vessel in the Mediterranean Sea. The Navy removed Snowden from command on February 20 due to a loss of confidence in his leadership.

The collision occurred on February 12 near the entrance to the Suez Canal, involving the Truman and the MV Besiktas-M, a Panama-flagged merchant ship owned by Synergy Ship Management of Turkey. No injuries were reported, but the carrier suffered damage to its starboard quarter, including external storage spaces and a flight-deck extension.

Following the incident, the Truman was moved to US Naval Support Activity Souda Bay in Greece for inspections and emergency repairs. An assessment team is surveying the extent of the damage before beginning a repair plan. The ship deployed from Norfolk, Virginia, in September and was operating in the Mediterranean when the accident occurred.

Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8, made the decision to relieve Snowden of duty. Capt. Christopher Hill, currently leading the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, will serve as interim commander of the Truman while repairs are completed. The Eisenhower is undergoing maintenance at Norfolk Naval Shipyard after supporting operations in the Middle East and Europe last year.

Snowden, a 1996 graduate of the US Naval Academy and a career fighter pilot, previously commanded the USS San Antonio before assuming command of the Truman in December 2023. He has been reassigned to Naval Air Forces Atlantic pending further review.

The Truman is the eighth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in service and plays a key role in US naval operations worldwide. The full scope of repairs will be determined in the coming weeks as the assessment continues.

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