8 suicide bids on USS Abraham Lincoln amid Iran deployment scrutiny, Navy confirms
Eight sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a stretch that overlapped with the group's combat operations against Iran.
Cao said no service members had killed themselves during the deployment. (AFP)A letter obtained by global news agencies such as AFP and CNN from Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao revealed the data in written responses to questions posed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand about the morale and mental health of the USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew.
Cao said no service members had killed themselves during the deployment.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed in the Middle East for more than 260 days, supporting US combat operations against Iran, and has set a modern US Navy record for the longest uninterrupted time at sea without a port visit, according to the Associated Press.
Between 6,000 and 7,000 US Navy sailors were deployed as part of the Lincoln strike group, the CNN reported. However, reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on board the carrier have made headlines in the US, provoking criticism of President Donald Trump's war against Iran.
"Since the beginning of Lincoln's deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group," said the letter from the navy secretary. "There have been no suicides onboard during this deployment," it added.
The letter provided additional details on the suicide attempts, saying a sailor assigned to an air wing "went overboard from the ship in early August" and was quickly recovered by a search and rescue helicopter, then taken off ship for follow-up care.
Another sailor "attempted to go overboard in March and was stopped by his shipmates" and returned to homeport.
There was no immediate comment from the Navy at the time of filing this report.
In a response to CNN earlier, the Navy said: “We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship. We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise.”
In August, military families and lawmakers raised the alarm about reported suicide attempts and other serious mental health issues, food shortages and poor hygiene.
The US Navy acknowledged supply challenges but denied that a mental health crisis was taking place on the Lincoln.
President Trump junked claims that family members were concerned about the welfare of their relatives and dismissed the possibility that the deployment had been too long. "Not nearly long enough," he told reporters.
Amid mounting criticisms, the Lincoln made a stopover in Thailand in early September after 286 days at sea.
US Central Command Commander Adm. Brad Cooper acknowledged mental health challenges aboard.
“Here’s an important fact: Of the US Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health,” Cooper posted on X after he visited the ship last month. “This doesn’t mean that all is perfect. Find any of the nearly 4 million Navy veterans in America today and they will likely tell you that service at sea for long periods isn’t for everyone.”
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