The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier that has been part of Middle East war operations, has arrived at the Croatian city of Split, the US embassy says, according to AFP.
AFP journalists saw the vessel arriving in the morning as it headed toward the port, with the embassy saying it was part of a “scheduled port visit and maintenance”.
The carrier left a naval base in Crete earlier this week after returning to the base following a laundry fire onboard, which injured two crew members.
“During its visit, the USS Gerald R Ford will host local officials and key leaders to recognise the strong and enduring alliance between the United States and Croatia,” the embassy statement said.
USS Gerald R Ford and USS Abraham Lincoln — which have air wings made up of dozens of aircraft — have played key roles in Iran operations, and the withdrawal of the Ford leaves a gap for US forces in the region.
