Brett Crozier, the US Navy captain who raised concern over the spread of novel coronavirus on board and was later fired for the same, has himself tested positive for the deadly virus. The spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating", he wrote in his letter to his superiors, which got leaked in the press.
Brett Crozier tests positive for coronavirus
The details regarding Captain Brett Crozier's ealth remain unclear, the New York Times reported citing two US Naval Academy classmates close to Crozier's family. The visual of Crozier's former crew cheering for him as he left the ship caught everyone's attention.
Capt. Bret Crozier, a hero who sacrificed his job. True valour and service to his nation and fellow crew. Salute! pic.twitter.com/a0GH1i6SmK
— Adarsh Maheshwari (@AAPAdarsh) April 4, 2020
Captain Brett Crozier fired
Crozier, the captain of USS Theodore Roosevelt, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was fired for writing a letter over concerns regarding the spread of novel coronavirus and his crew being exposed to it. US President Donald Trump termed the letter as "terrible". However, he said, "I didn't make the decision". "Secretary of Defense was involved and lots of other people were involved", he added.
President Trump says in his briefing on Saturday that he disapproves of Captain Brett Crozier’s letter to the Navy regarding concern for COVID-19 on his ship. “I thought it was terrible what he did.†Afterwards he adds, “This isn’t a class on literature.†pic.twitter.com/THpLS0qvDm
— Alek Maasik (@AlekMaasik) April 4, 2020
When the Secretary of Defense Mark Esper was asked the same, he said that it was the navy secretary Thomas Modly who took the decision, which he supported. "I think Acting [Navy] Secretary [Thomas] Modly made a very tough decision -- a decision that I support. It was based on his view that he had lost faith and confidence in the captain based on his actions", Esper told CNN.
CNN’s @JakeTapper presses Defense Sec. Esper on why Capt. Brett Crozier of the USS Theodore Roosevelt was removed from his position before a completed investigation. Crozier was fired after writing a memo saying that crew needed help after the coronavirus hit his ship. #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/Oo1vdKdVYI
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 5, 2020
However, the Washington Post reported that Secretary Modly "told one colleague [on] Wednesday, the day before he announced the move: 'Breaking news: Trump wants him fired'".
In the 4-page letter, Captain Crozier wrote that the crew-members were needed to be taken off the ship to protect their health, amid a coronavirus outbreak on board the ship. "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die", he wrote.
As on Monday (April 6), 155 crew-members on board USS Theodore Roosevelt have tested positive for novel coronavirus.
