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Monkeying around: US Navy sailor on Iran mission reportedly attacked by primate in Thailand
A sailor from the USS Chief was medically evacuated after being scratched by a monkey in Thailand. The sailor is stable, and the minesweeping mission continues.
A US Navy sailor assigned to a minesweeping mission amid rising US-Iran tensions was medically evacuated after being attacked by a monkey during shore leave in Thailand.
The unusual incident occurred in Phuket, where the sailor, who was part of the crew aboard the USS Chief, was scratched by a monkey and later flown back for medical care, according to Axios.
The Navy has confirmed that the sailor is in stable condition and the mission has not been delayed.
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Monkey attack during deployment stop
In mid-April, the Navy sent the USS Pioneer and the Chief from Southeast Asia to search for explosives that Iran had placed in and near the Strait of Hormuz. A US 7th Fleet spokeswoman stated that the incident occurred while the Navy electronics technician was ashore in Phuket, an area well-known for its substantial macaque population.
The sailor was evacuated to the Chief's forward post in Sasebo, Japan, to receive proper medical attention. The spokesperson said, “The sailor received medical care and was transferred back to Japan for further care. There were no operational impacts or delays to Chief.”
Thailand's tourist destinations frequently witness close interactions between humans and monkeys, especially long-tailed macaques, which can occasionally turn hostile.
Another source told Axios, “Normally, you worry that sailors ashore would be at risk of catching a disease from some other activity, not from a monkey.”
Macaques can spread the Herpes B virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and those who are attacked should get medical attention right away.
The incident, according to officials, was a reminder of the unforeseen difficulties that military personnel may encounter even outside of combat zones. “Weird stuff happens. This was definitely an unknown unknown,” a military official told Axios.
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The Iran tension and the Strait of Hormuz crisis
The sailor was part of a crew deployed on the USS Chief, an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship, heading toward the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz.
An operation including helicopters, underwater drones, observation aircraft, and destroyers will supplement the task of the Chief and Pioneer, mine countermeasure Avenger-class boats.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints, with roughly 20% of global oil supply passing through it during peacetime.
However, amid the ongoing 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, shipping routes have been disrupted due to threats from mines and fast-attack boats. President Donald Trump, on Thursday, ordered the U.S. Navy to “shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be (Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!), that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz.”
He added, “There is to be no hesitation.”
