On 21 February 1979, "Ranger" deployed for her 14th WestPac cruise, tentatively scheduled to cross the Indian Ocean to present a show of force during the strife between North and South Yemen, a mission she would not complete. On 5 April 1979, she collided with the Liberian-flagged tanker MV "Fortune" just southeast of Singapore while entering the Straits of Malacca. While the large oil tanker was severely damaged, "Ranger" endured a significant gash in her bow, rendering two fuel tanks unusable. "Ranger" turned back to Subic Bay, for temporary repairs and then to Yokosuka, for full repair. The collision resulted in 10,000 tons of crude oil spilled in the South China Sea. MV "Fortune" was hauling 100,000 tons of light crude from Kuwait to Taiwan.