Remains found in collided U.S. destroyer

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Scott Swift said Tuesday evening that remains have been found in the U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain, which collided with a tanker near the Straits of Malacca a day earlier.

USS John S. McCain is seen at sea off Singapore's Changi Naval Base, on Aug. 21, 2017.[Photo: Xinhua]

The destroyer collided with an oil tanker Alnic MC in waters off the eastern side of Singapore Monday morning, leaving 10 sailors missing and five injured.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Changi Naval Base, Swift said divers have found remains within the damaged part of the destroyer, adding that the Malaysian authorities have also found remains. However, he declined to comment whether the remains refer to bodies, saying these are to be identified.

Swift also ruled out the possibility of cyber attack for the cause of the incident.

Of the injured, four have been sent by helicopters to hospital, while the other one with minor injury stayed with the damaged destroyer which managed to sail back to the Singapore's Changi Naval Base Monday noon.

Swift visited the injured at the Singapore General Hospital earlier Tuesday.

The U.S. side did not reveal the details of the missing and injured on grounds of privacy.

Search for the missing sailors were still underway. Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia joined the United States in the operation.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Navy said Tuesday that an unidentified body was found 8 nautical miles northwest of the location of the collision on Tuesday afternoon.

"We cannot confirm the identification of the body," Malaysian Navy said in a statement. "The transferring of the body to the U.S. Navy will be done tomorrow."

Zulkifili bin Abu Bakar, director general of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said search and rescue operation would continue after nightfall. More than 10 ships, boats and planes from MMEA, Malaysian Navy and other agencies are involved in the operations covering 352 square nautical miles in the sea and 488 square nautical miles from the air.