USS Gerald R Ford sets sail for Crete to undergo repairs following fire on board
The USS Gerald R Ford is leaving the Red Sea and sailing for Crete for essential repairs after a fire on board injured sailors and caused significant damage.
According to senior US officials, the aircraft carrier will be docked at the Naval Support Activity Souda Bay for more than a week.
This is just one of many mishaps plaguing the US Navy's largest and most advanced warship, with reports of destroyed beds and clogged toilets most likely playing havoc with morale, as she nears a record-breaking time at sea.
Deployment strain
In June 2025, the Ford embarked on her latest deployment from Norfolk, Virginia, setting course for the Mediterranean.
In the autumn, she was redeployed to the Caribbean, entering the US Southern Command as part of the military build-up aimed at Venezuela's leadership, before being directed to the Middle East for Operation Epic Fury.
Deployed for nearly nine months, the Ford is on track to exceed the longest deployment of any aircraft carrier since the end of the Vietnam War – and the cracks may be beginning to show.
According to Central Command, the fire originated from the ship's main laundry spaces and was not combat-related.
It asserts there was no damage to the ship's propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational.
More than 200 crew members were assessed for smoke inhalation and later returned to duty. One sailor was medically evacuated and is in a stable condition, while two others were treated for minor injuries.
According to authorities, smoke damage spread to sleeping quarters, leaving more than 100 beds unusable.
And the string of mishaps does not end there.
In January, US media reported issues with the aircraft's toilet systems, noting clogged toilets and long queues for the restrooms. These are problems, it seems, that won't flush away – having plagued the world's most advanced, state-of-the-art aircraft carrier since at least 2020.
While the USS Gerald Ford's exit from the theatre of war in the Middle East will deal a blow to US capability in the region, the New York Times suggests it will likely be relieved by another carrier – the USS George HW Bush – which is preparing to deploy to the Middle East.
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