The USS Cole…
Guided missile destroyer the USS Cole yesterday docked at the port of Piraeus on the way to its first Middle East deployment since a terrorist attack in Yemen’s port of Aden on October 12, 2000. During that attack, launched by al-Qaeda-linked militants, a dinghy packed with explosives collided with the ship. The explosion blew a hole in the side of the destroyer, failing to sink it but killing 17 sailors. The ship underwent repairs that cost $250 million to become seaworthy again. No sailors from the former 2,000 crew are among the crew of 320 that left the US on June 8. The USS Cole is expected to be deployed for six months during which it will conduct security operations along with five other ships and a submarine.
