The USS Lake Champlain Ticonderoga-class cruiser has collided with a South Korean fishing vessel during drills in the Sea of Japan, Yonhap state news agency reports.
The vessels crashed on Tuesday afternoon during a training mission in Japanese waters, 70 miles (112km) east of Gyeongbuk Province, according Yonhap citing defense officials. No casualties have been reported so far.
The cause of the accident remains unclear and is to be investigated. According to the South Korean news agency citing unnamed sources, the boat suddenly appeared near the warship, which at the time was involved in drills along with another vessel.
South Korea and the US are holding joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan aimed at deterring North Korea after the reclusive state conducted a series of missile tests. Pyongyang has carried out serval launches since the beginning of this year, with three coming over past two months. All have been described as failures by Washington, however.
