Trending Now - US Aircraft Carrier Heads to Crete for Repairs After Fire

WHO:

USS Gerald R. Ford, US Navy, President Trump, Gen. Dan Caine, USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, USS Mahan, USS Bainbridge, USS Winston S. Churchill

WHAT:

The USS Gerald R. Ford is moving to Souda Bay in Crete for repairs after a fire broke out in the ship’s laundry area on March 12th, 2026.

Two sailors received medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and were in stable condition.

The fire took more than 30 hours to respond to, including extinguishing the fire and cleaning up damage.

Slightly more than 100 beds were damaged, and approximately 600 crew members were displaced from their sleeping areas.

WHERE:

Souda Bay, Crete; Red Sea; Mediterranean Sea

WHEN:

The fire occurred on March 12th, 2026.

The USS Gerald R. Ford left for deployment to the Caribbean on June 24th, 2025.

The Ford entered the Mediterranean Sea in late February 2026.

WHY:

The USS Gerald R. Ford has played a significant role in US operations during the war with Iran, particularly in reducing Iran’s threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The fire was not combat-related, according to the US military.

HOW:

The USS Gerald R. Ford is conducting repairs to determine what can be fixed immediately and what may need to be addressed upon returning to its home port after deployment.

(UPDATED March 19, 2026 03:50 UTC)

The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently en route to Souda Bay in Crete for repairs following a fire that broke out in the ship’s laundry area on March 12, which took over 30 hours to extinguish and clean up. Two sailors sustained non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition, while slightly more than 100 beds were damaged, displacing around 600 crew members from their sleeping areas. The US military has confirmed that the fire was not combat-related, and the Ford has been actively involved in US operations during the ongoing conflict with Iran.