نقلاً عن Bloomberg

News Brief: The USS Gerald R. Ford, the largest US aircraft carrier, is reportedly returning to port in Crete due to a fire in its laundry facility, affecting hundreds of crew members’ sleeping arrangements.

Following a fire in the main laundry room last Thursday, the USS Gerald R. Ford is set to withdraw from the Red Sea and return to Crete for repairs. Bloomberg reported that approximately 600 crew members lost their sleeping quarters, forcing many to sleep on the floor or tables. As of Wednesday, 100 berths remain unusable, with some sailors relocated to makeshift beds. The carrier, which has been deployed for ten months, may have its mission extended until May, despite typical deployments lasting six months. The Navy acknowledged the strain of extended absences on families. The USS Ford, a next-generation nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, cost $10.5 billion to build and was commissioned in 2015. This incident marks another non-combat issue for the carrier, which has faced operational challenges in the past. Currently, only the USS Abraham Lincoln remains available to support US operations in the region.

Original Source: www.handelsblatt.com