Two Sailors Injured After Ship Caught On Fire During RIMPAC Exercise
Two sailors of the Peruvian Navy’s ship named the BAP Guise suffered burns when a fire broke in the ship’s engine room around 8 am on Monday as its crew was taking part in the biennial Exercise Rim of The Pacific in Hawaii, the Peruvian Navy reported.
The RIMPAC watch floor received news regarding the fire at 8 am per a spokesperson associated with RIMPAC. Other vessels assisted the Guise and its crew members.
Two critically injured patients were evacuated by a helicopter, officials of RIMPAC said.
A US Navy helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln picked up the injured sailors and took them to Oahu, where they were hospitalized.
RIMPAC tweeted that the raging fire in the engine room of Guise was extinguished by 1:40 pm. The Peruvian Navy statement said that no other crew members were injured and that the families of the injured were informed. Peruvian officials will assess the situation and present an initial report on the events to determine corresponding actions.
The biennial RIMPAC is the largest regular naval exercise in the world, and 2022’s iteration is the greatest of its kind. This year 26 countries are participating with 38 surface ships, four submarines, over 170 aircraft, 30 drones, and about 25,000 personnel in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California from 29 June to 4 August.
The fire is not the first setback for RIMPAC’s event this year. Many exercise leaders and other members have contracted Covid, though several spokespeople have said the event proves the military can fight against an ongoing pandemic.
References: Defense News, Star-Advertiser, Khon2
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