SEVASTOPOL. Nov 9 (Interfax-AVN) - Captain Scott Grogner, an officer of the USS La Salle, was heavily injured in a road accident and hospitalized in Sevastopol.
"A U.S. naval officer on a bicycle trip was hit by a car with a Russian Black Sea serviceman behind the wheel last Sunday," an official of the Ukrainian Fleet press service told Interfax Monday.
An ambulance took the injured to a surgical department of Sevastopol's Hospital No.1. Ukrainian traffic police are investigating the case.
According to the press service, Ukrainian Navy Commander-in-Chief Ihor Knyaz reported the accident to Defense Minister Oleksandr Kuzmuk at once, who ordered that the injured should be provided with any help required without delay.
"A charter plane landed at the Belbek military airfield on Sunday bringing doctors of the International Service Organization from Moscow to help the American," the press service official said.
According to Ihor Zaraisky, acting Medical Service Chief of the Ukrainian Navy, the officer's condition is bad but stable, and he is in the reanimation ward. Doctors do their best to save his life.
Knyaz, authorized by Kuzmuk, and Russian Black Sea Fleet Commander Vladimir Masorin visited the La Salle and extended condolences to the U.S. ship's command over the accident.