Sailors on French aircraft carrier COVID-19 positive

By Cindi Cook

PARIS (AA) - France's Defense Ministry reported on Thursday that one-third of the sailors on board the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier had tested positive for coronavirus.

The flagship carrier houses 2,000 sailors, 1,767 of whom have been screened thus far. Out of those, 668 have tested positive for the virus. The crew includes those who work on the escort vessels that accompany the Charles-de-Gaulle.

This follows the action last week when the ship turned around mid-deployment in the Atlantic.

The ministry said that 31 of the sailors were being treated in hospital with one in intensive care. The remaining sailors who exhibit symptoms will be in isolation for the required 14 days.

The carrier came home 10 days earlier from its deployment, and is now docked at its home port in Toulon.

The accompanying vessels are two frigates, one for aerial defense and one that is an anti-submarine vessel, all of which will be decontaminated, along with the ship. The Charles-de-Gaulle houses helicopters and fighter jets.