SPLIT, Croatia, March 28 (Reuters) – The U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford, which had been deployed in U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran, anchored in Croatia’s Adriatic port of Split on Saturday for repairs and maintenance.
The Ford, America’s newest and the world’s largest carrier, was operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury when a non-combat fire broke out in its main laundry room on March 12, injuring three sailors.
Nearly 200 sailors were also treated for smoke-related issues, a U.S. official said at the time. The fire took hours to bring under control and had an impact on roughly 100 sleeping berths.
The warship has been deployed for nine months and also took part in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean prior to arriving in the Middle East.
It has been plagued by plumbing problems during its deployment, affecting the nearly 650 toilets.
The Ford had temporarily stopped at Souda Bay on the Greek island of Crete. The government of Croatia, which is a NATO-ally of the U.S., approved its arrival earlier this week.
“During its visit, the USS Gerald R. Ford will host local officials and key leaders to reaffirm the strong and enduring alliance between the United States and Croatia,” the U.S. embassy to Croatia said in a statement.
The carrier, staffed by more than 5,000 sailors, has more than 75 military aircraft aboard, including fighter aircraft like the F-18 Super Hornet, and boasts a sophisticated radar system for air traffic control and navigation.
(Reporting by Antonio Bronic in Split; Writing by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Joe Bavier)
