She was involved in a collision on 3 January 2003 with a merchant vessel ANL Indonesia off Horsburgh Lighthouse (Pedra Branca) which resulted in the death of four female RSN sailors.

RSS Courageous was on patrol off the waters of Pedra Branca on 3 January 2003 and was travelling on the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme when she made a turn against the flow of shipping at 2325 hrs local time.

The sailors were believed to have been killed instantly, and two of their bodies sank into the sea as the merchant ship backed away from the stern of the patrol vessel.

Divers later recovered the body of CPL Goh Hui Ling lodged between the bunks after the vessel was put in dry dock at Changi Naval Base.

The findings of the investigations concluded three key errors of judgment that resulted in the collision: The two officers were subsequently charged in court under Section 304A Penal Code, for causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide and were found guilty and fined SGD$4,700 and SGD$8,000 by District Judge Tan Boon Gin.