U.S. SHIP BADLY DAMAGED IN TOKYO BAY INCIDENT

YOKOSUKA (Kyodo) - Sources close to the U.S. naval base here revealed Wednesday, that
a U.S. cruiser lost a top secret military device in a mysterious accident in Tokyo Bay
on Sept. 21.
Both U.S. and Japanese military experts agree that the device - sonar to detect 
submarines - cost about Y2 billion. In addition to this, missile-carrying cruiser Leahy
suffered damage amounting to Y3 billion, they said.
At about 8PM on Sept. 21, the warship manned by a crew of 377 hit submerged ruins of a
coastal battery in the Uraga Straits.
On the next day, a U.S. press officer announced that the ship's fuel tank was damaged 
and a very small quantity of oil had leaked out.
But it actually was a major accident that could well endanger the position of Capt. 
S.S. Pearlman, who commanded the ship, the sources said.
They said that when the ship hit the concrete ruins of the wartime battery, the sonar
equipment was extensively damaged and fell into the sea.
According to the Maritime Safety Agency's Tokyo Bay Traffic center, the 7,800-ton
cruiser entered the straits at 18 knots despite the speed limit of 12 knots.
The Leahy which was heading for the open sea, strayed off course and proceeded in the
direction of the battery ruins which were then submerged because of the high tide when 
the center issued the ship a warning. But there was no response from the Leahy, officials
of the center said.
The ship a while later came to a stop.
When an MSA patrol boat arrived at the scene 20 minutes later, the ship was being towed
away by a U.S. military tugboat. U.S. servicemen on the two ships refused to talk about
what had happened to the Leahy, according to the center.