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Navy investigates after a close call between ships

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Posted at 5:54 PM, Nov 30, 2022
and last updated 2022-11-30 22:13:03-05

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Webcam video caught the moments it looks like two Navy warships were traveling head-on in the San Diego Bay on Tuesday before turning to avoid each other.

The Navy confirmed to ABC 10News that the ships were the USS Momsen and the USS Harpers Ferry.

"The big question is how they got into that situation," said Sal Mercogliano, professor at Campbell University.

He breaks down what he sees on the video that has since gotten the attention of hundreds of people.

He said normally, ships would pass on the right side of each other at all times.

"So, they would be on the right side of the channel, and the other ones would be on the right side going port to port is what it's called on the left side. Instead, what happened is the ships ended up in a meeting situation," he said.

The Navy said the two ships were moving in opposite directions in the bay in close vicinity.

They confirm no one was hurt, but they are investigating the incident.

Mercogliano thinks it was an issue of communications.

"The ships know each was coming in and out of the port at that time. The question is, did they communicate a passage beforehand? The Momsen is not ported in San Diego, so there is a question about its familiarity with the channel," he said.