The incident unfolded on the night of August 3 last year at Citybox Danmarksplass in Bergen. According to documents obtained by Forsvarets forum, the sailor sat in the hotel bar and drank until closing time. He then went to his room and fell asleep over the shower drain, blocking it with food residue.
Hotel staff noticed water dripping in the lobby and traced the leak to the sailor's room. Water was running out into the corridor, and when staff finally woke the sailor by knocking on the door, they discovered the blockage. The flood caused extensive water damage to eight hotel rooms, four corridors, a restaurant, and a staff room.
The US Navy expects all sailors to uphold core values (honor, courage, and commitment), and when they do not, they are held accountable.
In addition to repair costs, the hotel suffered significant loss of income because affected areas had to be closed during renovation. The final bill was 654,292 Norwegian kroner. The bill has been paid by the Norwegian Armed Forces.
Caroline Lysne, press spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces, said the matter is still being processed by the defence staff, who will soon hand it over to the Ministry of Defence. The Norwegian Navy is considering seeking reimbursement from the US Navy under the NATO SOFA agreement, according to Forsvarets forum. However, the Norwegian Armed Forces believe that responsibility for the incident may partly lie with the hotel.
The matter has been handled between the parties, damages repaired, and the case closed.
Sjøforsvaret chief legal officer Marianne Bisset Sperre noted the soldier can be blamed for excessive drinking but also questioned whether the hotel bar contributed to the level of intoxication. She added that the consequences were unforeseeable and could be considered an unfortunate result of coincidental factors. The hotel's press officer, Marlene Opstvedt, confirmed the matter has been handled between the parties, damages repaired, and the case closed.
The US Navy has declined to disclose the sailor's unit or mission in Norway, citing operational security. The sailor was not on leave at the time. " It remains unclear whether the sailor has been formally disciplined.
In a separate incident, the US Navy submarine USS Connecticut struck a seamount in the South China Sea in early October. The collision occurred on October 2 but was not reported by the Navy until five days later. The submarine's nuclear reactor and propulsion system were not damaged, according to the US Navy.
The collision caused a small number of moderate and minor injuries to the crew. Damage to the forward section damaged its ballast tanks, USNI News reported. The submarine made its way to Guam for damage assessment and remains there.