USS Fitzgerald headed to San Diego following repairs for 2017 collision

June 15 (UPI) -- The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald began its return to home port on Monday after two years of repairs following a 2017 collision in which seven sailors died.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer departed Huntington Ingalls Industries' shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., to travel to San Diego on Saturday, the Navy announced.

"Today the 'Fighting Fitz' is returning to the Pacific Fleet as one of our nation's most capable warfighting platforms, marking a significant step in her return to warfighting readiness," Rear Adm. Eric Ver Hage, commander of the Navy Regional Maintenance Center, said in a press release. "The Fitzgerald sailors, our Navy project teams and the men and women of Ingalls put forth a tremendous effort to restore the ship to fighting shape and did so on schedule."

While under repair, spaces impacted by the collision were returned to full operation and functionality, in addition to modernizations, the Navy said.

Repairs and upgrades to the Hull, Mechanical and Electrical system, the ship's Combat System and Command, Control,Communications, Computers and Intelligence system were completed. The radar and electronic warfare suite was also replaced.

The ship began at-sea tests in Louisiana in February.

The crew of about 280 began a pre-movement sequester on May 23 in compliance with Navy guidelines minimizing the threat of the COVID-19 virus aboard the ship.

When the vessel arrives in San Diego, where it is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 1, crew training and other work leading to various certifications will begin.

The ship collided with a Philippine-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Japan in June 2017.

The starboard side of the USS Fitzgerald was penetrated below the waterline by the cargo ship's bow, flooding several spaces, including the captain's cabin and two rooms where sailors slept.

The bodies of seven sailors were found in the flooded compartments. Preliminary findings indicated that the crew on board the Navy ship failed to take proper measures to avoid the accident. No one was charged in the incident.