Preliminary findings in the probe into the collision between the USS Fitzgerald and a Filipino cargo ship suggest that the accident was caused by "multiple errors" by the destroyer's crew, CNN reported Friday, quoting two defense officials.

"They did nothing until the last second," one official was quoted as saying. "A slew of things went wrong."

A second official said the crash "will wind up being our (the U.S. Navy's) fault."

Seven crew members died in the collision south of Tokyo Bay on June 17. The U.S. ship, equipped with the state-of-the-art Aegis missile defense system, sustained significant damage to its starboard side near the bridge. The bodies of the seven sailors were found in their cabins.

The Japan Coast Guard has been investigating the incident with a view to pursuing a charge of professional negligence. The Filipino container ship involved, the 29,060-ton ACX Crystal, is operated by Japanese shipping firm Nippon Yusen K.K.

The Fitzgerald had been sailing in Japanese coastal waters to monitor North Korea, following the country's recent ballistic missile launches.