WASHINGTON: Two United States sailors were injured after a fire broke out aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford while it was operating in the Red Sea, the US military said, adding that the incident was not related to combat operations.
In a statement posted on social media, United States Central Command said the fire erupted on March 12 in the aircraft carrier’s main laundry spaces.
“The cause of the fire was not combat-related and is contained,” the command said.
“Two sailors are currently receiving medical treatment for non-life-threatening injuries and are in stable condition.”
The military added that the carrier remained fully operational after the incident.
“There is no damage to the ship’s propulsion plant, and the aircraft carrier remains fully operational,” the statement said.
Statement on USS Gerald R. Ford from U.S. 5th Fleet: https://t.co/5Q6ZPovuBy
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 12, 2026
Crew conducts damage control
Multiple sources, cited by USNI News, confirmed that the initial fire had been extinguished, although the crew was continuing damage control procedures.
A US official said support teams from the Naval Sea Systems Command Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center were preparing to assist the fleet with electrical support if required.
The USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) — the newest and largest aircraft carrier in the US Navy — carries more than 5,000 personnel and over 75 aircraft, including F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets.
As of Wednesday, ship-tracking data indicated the carrier was operating in the northern Red Sea.
The vessel and several escorts — USS Mahan (DDG-72), USS Bainbridge (DDG-96), and USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81) — transited the Suez Canal last week.
Carrier deployed for Middle East conflict
The Ford Carrier Strike Group is currently involved in Operation Epic Fury, a US–Israeli military campaign against Iran.
The carrier has been deployed since June 2025 and has had its deployment extended several times.
The United States Department of Defense last month extended its mission and directed the carrier to the Middle East ahead of the start of the conflict with Iran.
According to Reuters, as many as 150 US troops have been wounded during the ongoing US-Israeli operation against Iran.
US Central Command said American forces have conducted strikes on more than 6,000 targets during the conflict.
The command also said more than 90 Iranian vessels had been damaged or destroyed, including over 30 ships used for laying naval mines.
Iran war disrupts global shipping
The incident comes amid wider tensions in the Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran since February 28.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route carrying roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has slowed sharply amid security concerns.
The disruption has pushed global oil prices to their highest levels since 2022.
In a statement broadcast on state television, Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said Tehran would continue fighting and would keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.
