The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) was involved in a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M at approximately 11:46 p.m. local time on February 12, 2025, while operating near Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea. The U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet reported that the incident resulted in no injuries or flooding aboard the Truman, and its propulsion systems remain unaffected and in a safe, stable condition.
The Besiktas-M, a bulk cargo carrier sailing under the Panamanian flag, sustained damage above the waterline but was able to continue its voyage under its own power. The circumstances leading to the collision are currently under investigation by the U.S. Navy.
The USS Harry S. Truman, commissioned in 1998 and homeported in Norfolk, Virginia, is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier capable of accommodating approximately 90 aircraft and a crew of about 5,000 personnel. The vessel has been deployed in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions since September 2024, conducting various operations, including airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
The Besiktas-M, measuring about 618 feet in length, is a bulk carrier that had recently transited the Suez Canal and was en route to Constanta, Romania, at the time of the incident.
This collision follows a previous incident involving the Truman’s strike group in December 2024, when an F/A-18F Super Hornet from the carrier was mistakenly shot down by a U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser over the Red Sea in a friendly fire incident. Both pilots ejected safely, with one sustaining minor injuries.
The U.S. Navy has initiated an investigation into the recent collision to determine the cause and prevent future occurrences. Further details will be released as they become available.
