At least five sailors aboard the USS Nimitz were sickened after military jet fuel contaminated the aircraft carrier’s water supply, the Navy said Friday.
The Navy has not confirmed whether the illnesses are directly related to the tainted drinking water. But Cmdr. Sean Robertson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Third Fleet, said the sailors reported “health concerns” that “could be associated” with ingesting the type of jet propellant that leaked into the carrier’s potable water system weeks ago.
One of the sailors still has symptoms of acid reflux, Robertson said. The other four have been medically cleared, but the spokesperson did not elaborate on the nature or severity of their health issues, or when they first reported their concerns.
The Navy said it suspected that the water might be contaminated on Sept. 16, and traces of jet propellant-5 were found in one of the carrier’s 26 potable water tanks this week.
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