Read Authentic Ratings for the Usns-Comfort

In a dramatic incident on December 12, 2022, in Haiti, 19 crew members plunged into the turbulent waters when their small boat capsized during an attempted transfer to the USNS Comfort. As the vessel was being lifted aboard via crane, treacherous swells posed significant challenges, complicating the operation. Unfortunately, the small boat lost its stability, resulting in personnel being thrown into the sea. Two sailors sustained injuries and received medical attention on the USNS Comfort, which is currently engaged in a humanitarian mission offering medical services including adult and pediatric care, dental assistance, and optometry. Following this event, the USNS Comfort temporarily halted ship-to-shore operations while alternative safe transfer methods to Wharf de Jeremie are assessed. An investigation into the incident is underway aboard the USNS Comfort. For further details, watch the report with video footage here: https://maritime-executive.com/article/video-boat-crew-falls-overboard-during-retrieval-aboard-usns-comfort.

On May 2, the USNS 'Comfort' docked at Pier 12 in Norfolk's Naval Station, concluding a month-long mission in New York City, where it functioned as an emergency overflow hospital amid a severe coronavirus outbreak that tragically claimed over 13,000 lives. The ship's arrival marked an important transition as it spent the night of May 1 anchored outside Hampton Roads Harbor, undergoing thorough disinfection and testing for its crew. During its time in New York, the Comfort treated 182 patients, with approximately 70% suffering from severe cases of COVID-19, making it the highest-volume Intensive Care Unit (ICU) within the Department of Defense during this period. The crew provided vital care to 25 patients on ventilators and those experiencing multiple organ failures, requiring intensive one-on-one medical attention. As nearly 1,200 sailors disembark from the Comfort, they will face a mandatory 14-day quarantine period due to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Each sailor is required to have a separate sleeping space to ensure proper social distancing. While some sailors will be able to follow these guidelines at home, others will be accommodated in hotels or Navy barracks for the duration of the quarantine. Following this period, all sailors will undergo additional testing to ensure their health and safety.

On April 30, 2020, the USNS Comfort departed from New York City, heading back to its home base in Norfolk, Virginia, following its crucial involvement in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospital ship arrived in New York on March 30, during one of the city’s most challenging times when the virus was at its peak, causing nearly 2,000 patients to seek emergency healthcare each day and resulting in approximately 800 daily fatalities. Originally, the USNS Comfort, which boasts a capacity of 1,000 beds, was intended to provide relief by treating non-coronavirus-related cases. However, just a week into its mission, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo requested that the vessel also accommodate COVID-19 patients. Despite these adjustments, the activity on board has notably dwindled in recent weeks. During a recent meeting at the White House, Governor Cuomo updated President Trump that the ship's services were no longer necessary, marking a significant shift in the healthcare needs of the city.