San Diego

Cmdr. John Cochrane’s negligence led to the destroyer Kinkaid’s collision in the Strait of Malacca last fall that killed one sailor, a Navy prosecutor charged Monday in the second day of Cochrane’s court-martial.

The captain of the guided missile frigate Rentz, which was traveling with the Kinkaid, had reviewed all the navigational charts for crossing the heavily trafficked channel, put department heads on watch in preparation for the crossing, placed extra people on watch and made sure those on watch were experienced, said Lt. Cmdr. Leroy Dickens.

Intending to show that the Rentz’s skipper had taken actions suitable for the crossing while his counterpart--Cochrane--had not, Dickens questioned several Rentz crew members who stood watch during the early morning when the crash occurred. Dickens pointed out that the Rentz, which is a smaller vessel than the Kinkaid, had 12 people on watch in its Combat Information Center as it approached the crossing. The Kinkaid, the lead vessel and a far larger ship, had six people in its CIC, witnesses testified.