(Bloomberg) — The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is leaving the fight with Iran and heading back to port, a US official familiar with the matter said, after a fire broke out in its laundry area and left at least two sailors with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Ford will travel from its current location in the Red Sea to Souda Bay, on the Greek island of Crete, according to the official, who asked not to be identified discussing movements that aren’t public. The ship had stopped in Souda Bay in late February on its way to the Red Sea.
A spokesperson for the US Navy declined to comment on the carrier’s condition or whether the guided-missile destroyers that accompany the Ford will stay on in the region. A defense official who also asked not to be identified said the Ford’s carrier strike group will continue to operate in the Red Sea.
The US military has declined to give details about the fire that broke out aboard the Ford, a 100,000-ton nuclear-powered carrier that carries more than 4,000 people. The New York Times reported that sailors needed more than 30 hours to put out the fire and more than 600 crew had lost their bunk space.
The Ford was operating in support of US operations against Venezuela when President Donald Trump ordered it to the Middle East ahead of the Iran campaign. Its deployment has been extended since it left the US in June of last year, meaning it’s been at sea far beyond the usual six-month tour.
The most expensive US warship ever built, the Ford is accompanied by guided missile destroyers, and its associated air wing includes F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets, E-2D airborne early warning aircraft, as well as MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and C-2A Greyhounds.
Extended tours can sap sailors’ morale and strain their families, a fact that the Navy acknowledged in a press release last month that heralded its crew’s resilience and readiness during what it called an “extended deployment.”
“Navy leaders acknowledge that extended time away from families carries real and measurable sacrifice,” the press release said.
In January, National Public Radio reported that the Ford was suffering from plumbing problems related to a toilet system that has failed repeatedly during the deployment. The Navy press release acknowledged those issues, saying the ship had handled some 6 million flushes, but also said sailors were usually to blame.
“In most instances, clogs are the result of items being flushed that should not be introduced into the system,” the release said, citing Capt. David Skarosi, the Ford’s commanding officer. “When sailors follow proper procedures, the system performs reliably.”
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