8 sailors attempted suicide amid prolonged USS Lincoln deployment: US Navy

The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. (Source: AP/ File)

The US Navy has said eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its deployment. This comes amid growing concerns over the toll of the mission on service members.

This was announced by Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand after New York Democrat questioned about the wellbeing of the sailors aboard.

According to BBC, the USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea since November, with its deployment repeatedly extended after it was sent to the Middle East ahead of the US attacks on Iran in February. The carrier, which had about 5,000 personnel aboard, is now returning to US.

The Navy Secretary said the eight sailors came from across the carrier strike group, including the Lincoln’s crew, carrier air wing, destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and serving aviation squadrons.

He said five chaplains and multiple mental health professionals were available aboard the ships to address the spiritual and emotional needs of the crew.

Cao defended the prolonged deployment of Carrier Strike Group Three, saying “The men and women of Carrier Strike Group Three have demonstrated exceptional resolve under demanding conditions.” Responding to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s August 15 letter, Cao said decisions to extend deployments were based on changing global security conditions and the need to protect US national security interests, personnel and allies.

The disclosure comes after families of sailors raised concerns about deteriorating mental health of the sailors and difficult living conditions during the lengthy mission. The Navy had previously rejected claims that the Lincoln was facing a wider mental health crisis, BBC reported.

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Cao also pushed back against reports of plumbing problems and fresh-food shortages, while acknowledging temporary localised piping failures and issues with the ship’s reverse-osmosis desalination units. Some meal options were reduced for a short period, he said.

Gillibrand, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, slammed the administration’s earlier response to reports about conditions aboard the carrier. She said concerns that had been dismissed as fake news had instead reflected serious conditions affecting service members.

The Lincoln left California in November for the South China Sea before being sent to the Middle East. Its deployment, originally due to end in May, was extended several times. In August, the USS George Washington was sent to replace the carrier after its lengthy deployment.

The returning sailors recently stopped in Thailand, where they spent time ashore after months at sea before continuing their journey back to the US.

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BBC also reported that a January 2025 study of 956 sailors found that personnel aboard US Navy ships experienced higher levels of serious psychological distress than troops in other branches of the US military. The researchers cited factors which includes poor habitability, noise, demanding schedules and insufficient time to rest and sleep.

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