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Remembering the USS Iowa explosion, 29 years later

The incident remains one of the surface Navy's worst losses of life during peacetime operations.

NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) -- The Navy is remembering the fallen sailors of the USS Iowa (BB-61).

On April 19, 1989, an explosion aboard the battleship claimed the lives of 47 crewmen. The ship's Number Two turret blew up during a gunnery exercise off the coast of Puerto Rico.

The Navy determined that it was caused by an accidental over-ram of powder bags into the 16-inch gun.

The incident remains one of the Navy's worst losses of life during peacetime operations.

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