7 U.S. sailors are still missing after a collision at sea

Seven U.S. sailors remain missing after the USS Fitzgerald collided with a merchant ship off the coast of Japan early Saturday morning. The ship has returned to port in Yokosuka, Japan, as of 7 p.m. local time, substantially damaged after crashing into a container ship four times its size.

The impact affected "Fitzgerald's forward starboard side above and below the water line, causing significant damage and associated flooding" in multiple areas, said a statement from the U.S. 7th Fleet. Three sailors and two other personnel have been hospitalized with injuries, including the destroyer's commander.

Several Japanese Maritime Self Defense force ships, another U.S. warship, and aircraft from both countries continue to search for the missing sailors at the site of the collision.

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