The US Navy is evacuating thousands of sailors from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in Guam, in the western Pacific Ocean, after its captain warns that an outbreak of the Corona virus on board is threatening the lives of the crew.
According to the US Navy, to date 93 new Corona Virus (Covid-19) infections have been recorded among the approximately 4,800 aircraft carrier crew.
Pentagon officials said on Wednesday that they are rapidly preparing hotel rooms on an island in the Pacific to receive many people, while preparing a crew of uninjured sailors to keep the ship running.
"The plan at this time is to evacuate as many people as possible from aboard (Teddy Roosevelt), knowing that we must leave a certain number of people on board to perform duties," Marianas district commander, Admiral John Menoni, told reporters on Guam Island on Wednesday. Regular monitoring keeps the ship running. ”
For his part, Acting Secretary of the Navy, Thomas Moodley, said in Washington that nearly 1,000 crew members have been evacuated, indicating that this number will rise to 2,700 within two days, and further later.
But there is a need to keep about 1,000 people on board the aircraft carrier to continue operating, while undergoing complete sterilization.
"We cannot, and we will not completely clear the ship," said Moodley.
He added, "This ship has expensive weapons, ammunition and aircraft on board, and it has a nuclear power plant."
Earlier this week, the captain informed the US Department of Defense that the Coruna virus was spreading uncontrollably aboard his ship, calling for immediate assistance to isolate his crew.
The captain of the aircraft carrier, Brett Crozier, warned his bosses, "The spread of the disease is continuing and accelerating."
He appealed to them, "We are not at war. "The sailors do not need to die."