The US Navy's most advanced aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, is preparing to leave the Red Sea for repairs in Crete after a fire on board injured sailors and caused significant damage, US officials have said.
It will travel to a US Navy base on the island for pierside repairs, authorities said, after a blaze broke out in the laundry facility last week and took hours to extinguish.
The world's largest warship has been beset by problems during its deployment in the Middle East, including an earlier breakdown of its toilet system.
The vessel has been deployed for nearly nine months, and was sent to the region as part of US operations linked to the war with Iran.
More than 200 crew members were assessed for smoke inhalation and later returned to duty after the fire broke out on 2 March, US officials said.
