Navy
Blaze breaks out aboard USS New Orleans off Okinawa’s coast
By
Stars and Stripes August 20, 2025
Brian McElhiney and Keishi Koja
Stars and Stripes August 20, 2025
A Japan Self-Defense Force vessel and two tugboats shoot water at the USS New Orleans near White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Japan coast guard)
Japan’s coast guard and military are helping the Navy battle a blaze that broke out aboard an amphibious transport docking ship off Okinawa’s southeastern coast on Wednesday evening.
“Crews are responding to a fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) this evening, Aug. 20, (Japan time) which is in the vicinity of Okinawa, Japan,” U.S. 7th Fleet wrote in an unsigned statement emailed to Stars and Stripes. “We will provide more details as they become available.”
Task Force 76 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. John Mike acknowledged additional email and phone inquiries but did not immediately provide responses.
Camp Foster sent a message to the Japan coast guard at 5 p.m. stating there was a fire aboard the San Antonio-class vessel near White Beach Naval Facility, according to a coast guard news release.
“The crew is currently engaged in firefighting efforts, but we have requested the Japan Coast Guard to assist with the firefighting,” the message said, according to the release.
No injuries or oil spills were reported, according to a second coast guard release.
The USS New Orleans operates off the coast of White Beach, Okinawa, Aug. 20, 2025. (Japan coast guard)
The fire started in the front part of the 684-foot-long vessel, a coast guard spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Wednesday.
“We do not know if it started on the outside or the inside of the ship; we are still investigating,” he said.
Two tugboats and an unspecified Self-Defense Force vessel were participating in firefighting efforts at 6 p.m., the spokesman said.
Camp Foster withdrew the firefighting request at 5:55 p.m. and asked all vessels to stay about a mile away, the coast guard said. The request was reinstated at 7:28 p.m.
The coast guard initially dispatched one vessel and was preparing to join firefighting efforts as of 8:30 p.m., the spokesman said.
Some Japanese government officials may speak to the press only on condition of anonymity.
