The USS Gerald R. Ford is the biggest and newest aircraft carrier in the US Navy. It is now in the Red Sea as part of US military actions against Iran.

Last week, a fire started in the ship’s main laundry area. This was not from any fight or attack—it was an accident inside the ship.

The fire took many hours to put out. Some reports say it took over 30 hours. Nearly 200 sailors got treatment for smoke in their lungs. About 100 beds were damaged, so more than 600 crew members now sleep on floors or other places.

A few sailors got hurt and needed medical help. One was taken off the ship by helicopter at first.

The Navy says the ship has no damage to its engines or main systems. It can still do its job fully.

Because of the fire, the carrier will go to a temporary port at Souda Bay in Crete, Greece. This is a US Navy base. They will do repairs there. It may take more than a week.

The USS Gerald R. Ford left its home port in June 2025. That means it has been at sea for almost 10 months now. This is a very long time for a ship like this.

It first went to other areas, then moved to the Middle East to help in the current conflict, called Operation Epic Fury.

This fire adds more problems for the crew after a long deployment with hard work.

The ship remains strong and ready, but this shows how tough life can be on board during long missions.

We will watch for more news as repairs happen.