Comfort to return to Baltimore five days later than planned

The hospital ship USNS Comfort will arrive at its Baltimore home five days later than originally planned, Navy officials said Wednesday.

The ship, which departed Haiti on Tuesday night after a seven-week humanitarian relief mission treating earthquake victims, will make a stop Saturday in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to tie up at the Canton Pier in Baltimore on March 19.

With 10 operating rooms running simultaneously at times, the Comfort performed 843 surgical procedures during its mission in Port-au-Prince harbor, according to the Navy.