Six Sailors Injured On USS Frank Cable

Six sailors injured during a steam leak on the USS Frank Cable are being medically evacuated to the United States for burn treatment, U.S. Naval Base Guam officials said. On Saturday evening, they were scheduled for transfer from Naval Hospital Guam to Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu and later will be moved to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Navy officials said the nine-member Burn Special Medical Augmentation Response Team out of the San Antonio facility, comprising the military’s leading burn trauma experts, was expected to meet the injured personnel in Hawaii. The unit is among several Special Medical Augmentation Response Teams the military maintains to provide specialized medical and trauma care globally, according to various U.S. military Web sites. USS Frank Cable AS-40Lt. Michelle Scholl, a Naval Hospital Guam spokeswoman, said Saturday that five sailors remained in critical condition while another was stable but would be part of the transport. Two others were treated and released. “Family members have all been notified,” she said. “A couple of the families here already made arrangements to travel to San Antonio.” U.S. Naval Base Guam officials did not release identities of the injured. The steam leak occurred during maintenance operations as the Frank Cable, a 7th Fleet repair ship, was moored at Naval Base Guam. The 28-year-old submarine tender is based at Apra Harbor, Guam. Navy officials said Saturday that more details about the incident would be released as information become available. About 1,350 sailors are assigned to the Frank Cable.