Fact Check: The US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan departed from the South China Sea on October 15, 2023, amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Fact Check: "The US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan departed from the South China Sea on October 15, 2023, amid rising tensions in the Middle East."

What We Know

The claim states that the USS Ronald Reagan departed from the South China Sea on October 15, 2023. However, reports indicate that the USS Ronald Reagan was actually operating in the East China Sea around that time. According to foreign media sources, satellite images confirmed that the USS Ronald Reagan entered the East China Sea on October 12, 2023, and there is no evidence to suggest it departed the South China Sea on the claimed date (source-2).

Additionally, the USS Ronald Reagan had recently undergone maintenance and was not on a high-intensity mission, which further contradicts the notion of its departure from the South China Sea amid rising tensions (source-2).

Analysis

The evidence provided by the sources indicates that the USS Ronald Reagan was indeed in the East China Sea as of October 12, 2023, and there are no credible reports confirming its departure from the South China Sea on October 15, 2023. The source that discusses its entry into the East China Sea is a foreign media outlet that relies on satellite imagery, which is generally considered reliable for tracking naval movements (source-2).

Moreover, the USS Ronald Reagan's operational history shows that it has been active in the region and has recently conducted exercises with allied naval forces, which supports the idea that it was engaged in operations rather than departing (source-1).

The reliability of the sources is mixed; while the U.S. Navy's official communications are typically credible, the foreign media outlet's interpretation of satellite data should be corroborated with additional sources for complete accuracy. However, given the lack of evidence supporting the claim of departure on October 15, the assertion appears to be unfounded.

Conclusion

Verdict: False
The claim that the USS Ronald Reagan departed from the South China Sea on October 15, 2023, is false. Evidence indicates that the carrier was operating in the East China Sea around that date, and there are no credible reports confirming its departure from the South China Sea as claimed.

Sources

1. Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group Returns to South China ...
2. USS Reagan Enters the East China Sea, PLA Doesn't ...
3. Carrier USS Ronald Reagan Now in the South China Sea
4. Carrier USS Ronald Reagan Back in the South China Sea ...
5. Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group Returns to the South ...
6. USS Ronald Reagan Wraps Up Hong Kong Port Visit
7. CVN-76 USS Ronald Reagan Nimitz class Aircraft Carrier ...
8. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) history