HONOLULU: Ten to 12 explosions ripped through the aft-end of the nuclear aircraft carrier “Enterprise” yesterday [Jan 15], killing at least 13 crewmen and injuring up to 100, the US navy said here. An undetermined number of men were blown overboard and were missing in the waters southwest of Honolulu, a navy spokesman said. None of the aircraft carrier’s nuclear reactors was involved in the explosions.

The 85,000-ton “Enterprise”, largest warship in the world, is the only operational nuclear ­carrier. Its planes have taken part in the ­bombing of North Viet-Nam.

The dead and injured were ferried to Tripler Army Hospital near Honolulu by helicopters that shuttled between the ship’s flight deck and the island. Three US Navy destroyers accompanying the “Enterprise” during the operations picked up the dead, injured and survivors from the water.

Explosions rocked the carrier at 8.10 a.m. local (1810 GMT) as she took part in a naval exercise 75 miles off Hawaii. The fire covered the aft-end of the ship, sweeping both the hangar deck and flight deck, the spokesman said. As the vessel sailed back to Pearl Harbour last night at reduced speed, US Navy spokesman Commander Jim Hives said: “The extent of the damage is undetermined because the radio transmitter was damaged.”

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2019