Navy dismisses 7th Fleet commander after warship accidents

TOKYO -- The U.S. Navy dismissed the commander of the Asia-based 7th Fleet on Wednesday after a series of warship accidents raised questions about its operations in the Pacific.

A two-sentence statement said Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, had relieved Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command."

The move follows four Navy accidents in the Pacific since late January, including two collisions that left sailors dead and missing.

"While each of these four incidents is unique, they cannot be viewed in isolation," Swift said earlier. He said the Navy will carry out a "deliberate reset" of all its ships in the Pacific, focused on navigation, mechanical systems and bridge-resource management. It will include training and an expert assessment of each ship.

The Navy said Rear Adm. Phillip Sawyer, who already had been named as Aucoin's successor, would assume command immediately.