USS Gerald R. Ford Arrives in Crete for Repairs After Onboard Laundry Fire

A laundry room fire that left more than 600 sailors without sleeping berths forced the U.S. Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier to dock in Crete on Monday, pulling it temporarily from an active air campaign against Iran.

The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on Monday after operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury. The operation, launched February 28, 2026, is a major U.S.-led military campaign aimed at dismantling key elements of Iran's security apparatus, including command facilities, air defenses, missile sites, and related infrastructure. The carrier docked at the NATO Marathi Pier Complex, the same facility it visited in February when it took on food, fuel and ammunition before heading deeper into the region.

The March 12 fire, which occurred in the aft laundry facility, resulted in a major damage control response that displaced sailors across the carrier and disrupted operations throughout the ship. Two sailors were injured and a third was sent off the ship for further medical treatment; the first two returned to duty that day, while the third, as of March 17, was in stable condition. More than 600 service members were reportedly without their racks after berthing compartments were affected by the blaze. U.S. military officials confirmed the ship's propulsion system was not damaged and that the carrier remained fully operational despite the fire.

U.S. 6th Fleet, which oversees Navy operations in Europe, sought to project confidence about the ship's readiness. "The port call allows for the ship to undergo efficient assessment, repairs, and resupply," the fleet said in a statement. "Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group continues its overseas deployment." The aircraft carrier remains fully mission capable, the release said. Senior U.S. officials said the carrier is expected to remain at Souda Bay for more than a week of pierside repairs.

The port call comes at a strategically sensitive moment. The other ships within the Ford Carrier Strike Group are remaining in the region and not joining the Ford at Souda Bay, a move intended to preserve at least partial strike capability while the carrier undergoes repairs. Still, analysts flagged the gap left by the Ford's exit. The USS Gerald R. Ford is moving away from operations tied to the Iran war as military operations against Iran are still in full swing, particularly as the U.S. is seeking ways to reduce Iran's threat to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Daniel Schneiderman, director of global policy programs at Penn Washington, assessed the strategic cost directly. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said Friday that the Pentagon was aware of the fire on board the Ford. "We're thinking about the crew there who were injured in the fire," Caine said during a Pentagon press briefing. "We believe and hope that everyone will be OK and we're grateful for that."

The Ford's arrival in Crete caps an extraordinarily prolonged stretch at sea. The warship has been deployed for nine months, including taking part in operations against Venezuela in the Caribbean prior to arriving in the Middle East, and the length of the deployment has raised questions about morale of the sailors on board and the readiness of the warship. The deployment left Virginia on June 24, 2025, and has been extended twice.

The Navy has not yet revealed the cause of the fire but said more information would be forthcoming when available. While the U.S. Navy maintains that the ship's propulsion plant remains unaffected, the USS George H.W. Bush is reportedly being prepared as a potential relief vessel should the Ford require a more permanent withdrawal to the United States. Unlike its February stop at Souda Bay, the crew will not be permitted the usual large-scale recreational leave in downtown Hania during this visit.