A US Navy supply ship operating in the Middle East sustained damage and the cause was under investigation, officials said on Tuesday.
The USNS Big Horn was damaged after it resupplied the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group. It remained in the region amid heightened tension over the Israel-Hamas war and Israel's continuing strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon.
A US Navy official declined to elaborate on where the damage took place. A photo released by the US military dated September 5 showed sailors aboard the Lincoln receiving supplies from the Big Horn, while another on September 11 showed the Big Horn alongside the Lincoln. The Lincoln is patrolling the Arabian Sea.
The official said the Big Horn's crew was safe and there was no sign of an oil leak from the vessel. Another US official said the vessel was being supported by private tugboats to head into a port and an assessment of the damage was continuing.
Rumours about the Big Horn's condition began circulating early on Tuesday after images posted to a website that tracks shipping, called Captain, showed flooding purportedly on board the Henry J Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler. The website described the Big Horn as “ran aground … and partially flooded off the coast of Oman”.
Although the Lincoln is powered by a nuclear reactor, its strike group has vessels powered by fossil fuel that need to be resupplied at sea. The aircraft aboard the Lincoln also need jet fuel. The Big Horn and other ships like it also provide other supplies.
The US official called the damage to the refueller an inconvenience, but said the fleet would continue to be able to operate without it. The strike group's destroyers can refuel in port and they can carry aviation gas to the carrier to supply the on-board fighter jets and surveillance aircraft.
Oilers like the Big Horn typically have about 80 civilians and five military personnel on board.
It remains unclear if there are any other replenishment ships like it immediately available in the Middle East. An AP survey of publicly released military images of similar ships run by the US Navy's Military Sealift Command showed none in the region in recent months. The command declined to comment.
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
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KEY HIGHLIGHTS
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EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
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Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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Ferrari
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Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
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TOUR DE FRANCE INFO
Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
Stages: 21
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