The family of a Suffield man assigned to the USS John S. McCain is waiting to hear from the U.S. Navy after the warship collided with an oil tanker near Singapore just before dawn Monday.
Dustin Doyon is an Electronics Technician Third Class Petty Officer with the U.S. Navy.
The collision tore a gaping hole in the USS McCain's left rear hull and flooded adjacent compartments, including crews berths, machinery and communication rooms.
On Tuesday, Navy divers searching a flooded compartment of the ship found remains of some of the 10 sailors missing since the collision.
Doyon's family put out the following statement via the First Selectman's Office:
“On behalf of the entire Doyon family, we want to thank all those who have expressed concern and offered prayers and support as we await word from the US Navy on our son and brother Dustin who is assigned to the USS John S. McCain (DDG 56).
“We appreciate the courageous work of the crew in the aftermath of the collision and the continuing rescue efforts.
“As you can imagine, this is a very difficult time for our family and we respectfully request that you honor our privacy.”
Doyon graduated from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2009
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“We’re aware that Cathedral High School graduate, Petty Officer Dustin Doyon, is among those sailors unaccounted for aboard the USS John S. McCain. The Pope Francis High School community – including our legacy schools – pray for Dustin and his family during this time of uncertainty. Dustin is a valued member of the Cathedral Class of 2009; we know his classmates and Cathedral faculty and staff would join us in praying for him and the crew of the USS McCain,” Dr. Paul Harrington, head of school for Pope Francis High School, said in a statement. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield established Pope Francis High School through the merger of Cathedral and Holyoke Catholic in 2016.
On Wednesday, the commander of the Navy's Asia-based 7th Fleet was dismissed after a series of warship accidents raised questions about its operations in the Pacific.
A two-sentence statement issued by the Navy says Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, had relieved Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command."
