U.S. Navy says divers searching warship's flooded compartments for missing sailors

The U.S. Navy said on Tuesday divers have begun searching in the flooded compartments of a U.S. warship for 10 U.S. sailors missing since the guided-missile destroyer collided with a merchant vessel in waters near Singapore and Malaysia.

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps divers will access sealed compartments located in damaged parts of the ship, the U.S. Seventh Fleet said in a statement posted on its website.

"Additionally, they will conduct damage assessments of the hull and flooded areas," it said.

The USS John S. McCain and the tanker Alnic MC collided early on Monday while the U.S. vessel was nearing Singapore for a routine port call. The collision tore a hole in the warship's port side at the waterline, flooding compartments that included a crew sleeping area.

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