Navy officers charged with negligent homicide

Five officers involved in two U.S. Navy ship collisions last year have been charged with negligent homicide, the Navy reported on Tuesday. The deadly accidents killed seven sailors aboard the USS Fitzgerald in June and 10 sailors aboard the USS John S. McCain in August. Navy spokesman Capt. Greg Hicks said the charges also include dereliction of duty and endangering a ship, and will all be presented during a hearing to decide whether the five officers will be taken to trial in a court-martial. The disciplinary actions are the latest in a series of responses to the collisions, which investigators determined were avoidable. After the accidents last year, at least eight top Navy officers, including the 7th Fleet commander, were relieved of their commands.