At the end of February, the USS Gerald R. Ford sailed from the Souda Bay base on Crete towards the Israeli coast. Now the super aircraft carrier has to go back there.Image: Giannis Angelakis/AP
A major fire in the laundry on board the American super aircraft carrier has immediate consequences.
Mar 18, 2026, 9:11 p.mMarch 18, 2026, 9:12 p.m
After a major fire on the US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the warship has to call at Crete for repairs and investigations. This means it is temporarily leaving the immediate operational area in the Middle East. More than 600 crew members are also without a permanent place to sleep, and 1,000 replacement mattresses have to be flown in from the USA.
At the same time, speculation is circulating about possible arson – a rumor that has not yet been confirmed without any reliable sources and has not yet been officially confirmed.
The fire broke out on March 12th in the laundry room of the world’s largest aircraft carrier. As the New York Times reported that it took over 30 hours for the flames to be completely extinguished. The damage to the accommodation is significant: affected seafarers currently have to sleep on floors or tables.
The US Navy confirmed the incident and spoke of a “non-combat fire” that occurred in the main laundry area. “There is no damage to the propulsion system and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational,” the Navy said on Platform X.
A total of three sailors were injured. Two were able to return to duty after medical treatment, and a third was flown out but is in stable condition, according to the US Navy. According to further reports, several crew members also suffered from smoke inhalation, and 200 of them were examined for symptoms of intoxication.
Difficult living conditions on board
The incident exacerbates the already tense situation on board. The USS Gerald R. Ford has been in operation since June 2025 and is heading towards an exceptionally long mission. According to Vice Admiral James Kilby, the duration of the deployment could increase to around eleven months – significantly longer than the usual six months.
If the American super aircraft carrier were still in service by mid-April, it would be the longest carrier deployment since the Vietnam War. The previous record is held by the USS Abraham Lincoln with 294 days of permanent deployment.
In addition, the ship recently had to struggle with technical problems, including with the wastewater system, which apparently made it difficult to use the toilets. The laundry is currently only usable to a limited extent due to the fire. As the New York Times continued, the living conditions on board could be described as “difficult at best”. The US Navy has not yet responded to further media inquiries.
Speculation about sabotage
As part of the planned port stay in Crete, the causes of the fire will also be examined in more detail. The Greek newspaper Kathimerini reports, citing unnamed sources, that a scenario is also being examined according to which the fire could have been set intentionally.
Similar speculation is spreading on social media. Author and analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera writes on
However, there is currently no confirmed evidence for this theory. Neither the US Navy nor officials have provided any evidence of deliberate sabotage.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest warship, is a central element of the U.S. naval presence in the Middle East. The fact that the super aircraft carrier is now leaving the operational area, at least temporarily, could weaken the US’s operational presence in the ongoing Iran war in the short term.
After the stay in Crete, the aircraft carrier is scheduled to return to the Middle East. However, when the situation on board will fully return to normal depends on the extent of the damage and the ongoing investigations. (aargauerzeitung.ch)
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