Confusion Sparked Attack by Saratoga, Defense Sources Say

WASHINGTON —  The aircraft carrier Saratoga fired one or two missiles at a Turkish ship in the Aegean last month because U.S. sailors thought a drill was a real attack, Pentagon sources said Friday.

Five Turkish sailors, including the captain, were killed and 15 injured when one or both of the U.S. antiaircraft missiles hit the Turkish destroyer Muavenet on Oct. 1 during a NATO exercise.

The defense sources said a Navy investigation found the firing took place when the Saratoga crew was awakened at midnight for a drill and at least some of them thought their ship really was under attack.

The two ships were about three miles apart and about 80 miles west of the Turkish port of Izmir at the time of the accident.

The sources said the Navy investigation report is to be released at a news conference at the U.S. 6th Fleet’s headquarters in Naples, Italy, next week. They had few other details.