Typhoon drives away US aircraft carrier

MANILA, Philippines - Even the military might of the United States, the most powerful in the world, was no match for the wrath of nature.

The USS John Stennis Carrier Strike Group, which arrived in the country for a four-day official visit, was shooed away by typhoon “Mina” just hours after the battle group dropped anchor at the mouth of Manila Bay before dawn yesterday.

“Due to weather conditions, the visit to Manila by the US Navy’s John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, originally scheduled for this weekend, has been cancelled,” a statement released by US embassy press attaché Tina Malone said.

If the weather permits, Malone said, the strike group may return to continue its port visit in Manila on a later date.

Earlier in the day, local and foreign journalists accredited by the US embassy for a media tour of the USS Stennis gathered at the assembly area located at the back of the Mall of Asia, despite the bad weather brought by Mina.

Two ferries were already docked and were placed on standby, while everybody waited for the weather to improve.

US embassy and forward staff from the US battle group were around and ready to assist journalists, but huge waves and strong winds prevented media men from boarding the two ferries that would bring them to the world’s biggest Nimitz class aircraft carrier.

By 10 a.m., Malone announced that the scheduled media tour had been cancelled. However, she assured media they would look for ways to squeeze in the cancelled media tour into the busy schedule of USS John Stennis while it was in Manila.

With the cancellation of the visit, all tours of the Stennis and the reception on board the ship have been cancelled, Malone announced late yesterday.

Powered by two nuclear reactors and about 20 stories high from the water surface with a 4.5-acre in flight deck, USS Stennis is considered a “self-sustaining city” with 5,000 sailors on board, who enjoy amenities like residents in any US city.