22-07-2025
Boat Crashes Into the USS Midway, Drunk Driving Suspected
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A man suspected of drunk driving a boat into the USS Midway has been arrested for "boating under the influence," port officials said.
According to the Port of San Diego Police Department, Frank D'Anna, 40, was driving a 65-foot-long motor vessel when it collided with the USS Midway Museum. The crash occurred at approximately 11:54 a.m. on July 18 and was caught on surveillance video.
Newsweek has contacted the Port of San Diego and the USS Midway for comment.
Guests on board the USS Midway 41 after the Fleet Week San Diego Military Advisory Council event at USS Midway Museum, San Diego, November 8, 2023.
Guests on board the USS Midway 41 after the Fleet Week San Diego Military Advisory Council event at USS Midway Museum, San Diego, November 8, 2023.
Lance Cpl. Hannah Hollerud/Defense Visual Information Distribution Services
Why It Matters
The USS Midway is one of San Diego's most recognizable landmarks and a major tourist destination attracting millions of visitors annually.
No injuries were reported following the crash, but the USS Midway did sustain some damage, which will cost the Navy an estimated $100,000 in repainting and repairs, according to ABC10.
What To Know
A press release sent out by the Port of San Diego Public Safety said D'Anna's vessel, known as the Offshore Lifestyle, collided "head-on" with the USS Midway's port-side hull. Meaning, the left side body of the ship.
The port said that the vessel was located near the Coronado Ferry Landing in San Diego after it fled the scene following the crash. There were seven individuals onboard when it was located.
D'Anna has been booked into county jail for "655(B) Harbor and Navigation Code Boating Under the Influence (BUI), 656.1 Harbors and Navigation Code Hit and Run, and 655(C) Harbors and Navigation Code Operating Vessel with BAC Over .08," per the Port of San Diego Public Safety.
The USS Midway is an aircraft carrier that joined the Navy's fleet in September 1945, missing World War II by one week, per the USS Midway site. It is named after the Second World War's Battle of Midway in 1942 between U.S. and Japanese naval forces in the Pacific.
It was decommissioned in 1992, making it the 20th century's longest-serving aircraft carrier. It was turned into a museum in 2004. It now hosts over 700 events a year, and serves as an educational site for visitors.
What People Are Saying
Jagjit Bhambra, a Navy veteran speaking with ABC10, said: "I think we need to examine who was the captain of the little boat, why was he so close, how he did not notice such a massive ship in front of him."
Mary Bhambra, Jagjit Bhambra's wife, told ABC10: "It's a famous ship. Maybe a fence around it or something like that, a barrier so the ship can be guarded and a lookout maybe for approaching hazards."
What Happens Next
If convicted of Boating Under the Influence, D'Anna could face a maximum of six months in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.
