US warship-tanker collision: Sailor engaged to be married among 10 missing

DETROIT — Sailors with ties to Michigan, Illinois, Texas and Ohio are among 10 who are missing after a US warship collided with an oil tanker in Singapore territorial waters.

US Representative Rodney Davis said he was informed by Logan Palmer’s family that the central Illinois man is missing. In Michigan, April Brandon said the military informed her that her son, Ken Smith, is also missing.

The family of Jacob Drake, 21, was told that the western Ohio man was among the missing, the Columbus Dispatched reported Tuesday (Aug 22).

20-year-old sailor John “CJ” Hoagland, from Houston, is also among the missing, his family told ABC13 Eyewitness News.

The USS John McCain collided with an oil tanker off Singapore on Monday. Admiral Scott Swift said some bodies have been found in a flooded compartment of the warship. No other details have been released.

Ms Brandon said Smith’s father, stepmother and grandfather served in the Navy. She said Smith, 22, grew up in Novi, Michigan, and moved to Norfolk, Virginia, as a teen with his father.

``His father and I couldn’t be prouder of our son,’’ Ms Brandon said. ``He’s a great kid. He’s a hero.’’

Mr Davis, a Republican whose district includes the Decatur area, said Palmer comes from a ``patriotic family.’’ He enlisted in 2016.

``Our military must do whatever necessary to minimise incidents like this and protect those who risk their lives each day in service to our country,’’ Mr Davis said.

Hoagland, who served as an electronic technician aboard the ship since Oct 2016, spoke to his mother two days before the tragedy and said he was excited about going to Singapore.

Drake is engaged to be married next year. His 20-year-old fiancee, Megan Partlow, said she last heard from him on Sunday via text message.

Ms Partlow said she wants ``him to be safe.’’

The US Navy said it’ll keep searching for the sailors until the probability of discovering them ``is exhausted.’’ AP