Two U.S. Navy vessels, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine and an amphibious transport dock, collided this morning in the Strait of Hormuz, which runs between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.

According to a news release from the U.S. Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, the submarine USS Hartford collided with the amphibious ship USS New Orleans at around 1:00 a.m. local time. Fifteen sailors aboard the Hartford were described as being "slightly injured"; all returned to duty. No injuries were reported aboard the New Orleans, but that ship suffered a ruptured fuel tank, spilling 25,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

This is not the first incident involving the Hartford. The boat ran aground in 2003 while performing maneuvers off Sardinia; the vessel was put out of commission for several months and two Navy officers were relieved of command.

[PHOTO: Wikimedia]

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