Overview
- A fire broke out in March in the Ford’s laundry area while the carrier was operating in the Red Sea supporting U.S. operations against Iran.
- Sailors and a senior U.S. official say the ship’s built‑in fire‑suppression system failed, forcing crew members to fight the blaze manually for about 30 hours.
- Video obtained by CNN shows charred and twisted bunks, dangling wires and ash in berthing compartments, and earlier reporting said roughly 600 sailors lost access to their sleeping areas.
- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle said it took two days before flight sorties resumed, and the carrier diverted to a port in Greece for temporary repairs.
- A Navy investigation is ongoing and one U.S. official told reporters the Ford may need about a year of repairs and maintenance, which could force other ships to fill its missions and strain naval readiness.