A US Navy sailor had to be medically evacuated after he was attacked by a monkey on the way to the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports.
The unnamed sailor had been sent on a minesweeping mission when he was scratched by a monkey during shore leave in Phuket, Thailand.
The unnamed personnel was evacuated to the Chief’s forward post in Sasebo, Japan, to receive proper medical attention.
The Navy has confirmed that the sailor is in stable condition and the mission has not been delayed.
A spokesman said, “The sailor received medical care and was transferred back to Japan for further care. There were no operational impacts or delays to Chief.”
A 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.
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.
The US is continuing the blockade of Iranian ports while a peace deal is negotiated.
US president Donald Trump said he has ordered the US Navy “to shoot and kill any boat” that is laying mines in the strait of Hormuz.
He also said that US minesweepers were working “at a tripled up level” to clear any mines from the waters.
