Captain of aircraft carrier fired over coronavirus outbreak warning

The commander of the US aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt has been fired after writing a scathing letter demanding stronger measures to control a coronavirus outbreak on his ship.

Captain Brett Crozier’s removal from command was announced by acting US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, who said he had exercised poor judgment and the letter “raised alarm bells unnecessarily”.

More than 100 of the 4,000 crew on the carrier at Guam, in the western Pacific, have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Cpt Crozier described a bleak situation.