U.S Navy sailor scratched by monkey in Thailand during deployment to Strait of Hormuz mission
A U.S. Navy sailor assigned to a minesweeping vessel bound for operations near the Strait of Hormuz was medically evacuated to his home port after being scratched by a monkey while ashore in Thailand, officials said.
The sailor, an electronics technician aboard the USS Chief, was injured during a stop in Phuket when he came into contact with an Asian monkey on land. While officials did not identify the animal species, long-tailed macaques are common in the region and are known to behave aggressively in some tourist areas.
After the incident, the sailor received initial medical treatment and was later transferred to the ship’s forward base in Sasebo, Japan for further care. Navy officials said his condition is stable and that the incident did not affect the ship’s operational readiness or delay its mission.
The USS Chief and another minesweeping vessel, the USS Pioneer, were deployed in mid-April as part of efforts to detect and clear naval mines in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route that has faced ongoing security threats. The deployment includes support from additional naval assets such as helicopters, drones, surveillance aircraft, and destroyers.
The sailor’s injury quickly circulated within the Navy’s mine-countermeasures community, where personnel often serve aboard small crews on slow-moving vessels tasked with high-risk but routine operations.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most strategically important waterways, with a significant portion of global oil shipments passing through it under normal conditions. However, heightened tensions and maritime threats in the region have disrupted regular traffic.
Officials emphasized that the incident was an unusual but non-operational disruption. One military source described it as an example of unpredictable risks service members can face while deployed overseas.
A Navy spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating that the sailor was treated and evacuated for additional care, and reiterated that there were no delays or impacts to the mission.
Health authorities note that macaques in parts of Southeast Asia can carry viruses that require immediate medical attention if transmitted through bites or scratches, underscoring the importance of rapid response in such cases.
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