US Navy Says 8 Sailors Attempted Suicide Aboard Ship During Prolonged Deployment In West Asia: What We Know | Today’s news
The US Navy has revealed that eight sailors assigned to the carrier strike group USS Abraham Lincoln attempted suicide during its long-term deployment, The Hill reported.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao made the announcement in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat of New York and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, after she sought information on the welfare of sailors aboard the ship and accompanying vessels.
The revelations come after the sailors’ families raised concerns about deteriorating mental health and difficult living conditions during the carrier strike group’s protracted deployment to West Asia amid the US war with Iran.
What did the US Navy say about suicide attempts?
According to Cao’s letter cited in the report, eight sailors attempted suicide during the deployment.
The number in the report includes Lincoln’s crew personnel as well as sailors assigned to its air wing, carrier strike group and destroyer squadron staffs, and escorting destroyers and embarked squadrons.
Cao said five chaplains and several mental health professionals were available on board the ships to deal with the “spiritual and emotional needs of the crew”.
The Navy has previously rejected claims that the USS Abraham Lincoln is experiencing a broader mental health crisis.
Why was the USS Abraham Lincoln deployed for so long?
USS Abraham Lincoln has been deployed since November and has completed more than 300 days at sea, marking a record for a carrier’s longest continuous deployment while supporting US operations in the Middle East.
Cao defended Carrier Strike Group Three’s extended deployment, saying the sailors had shown “exceptional determination under challenging conditions,” according to The Hill.
In response to Gillibrand’s Aug. 15 letter, he said decisions to extend the deployment are based on changing global security conditions and the need to protect U.S. national security interests, personnel and allies.
The carrier is now returning to the US after a short stop in Thailand.
What happened to the carrier after it was deployed?
The USS Abraham Lincoln was replaced by the USS George Washington in August after a long deployment.
Lincoln sailors also stopped in Thailand on their way home, giving crew members a chance to spend time ashore after months at sea.
Reports said the sailors visited bars, shopping malls and beaches during the stopover before continuing their journey back to the United States.
Read also | The American Carrier That Couldn’t Come Home: The USS Abraham Lincoln’s 260-Day Deployment
What were the concerns about living conditions?
As well as mental health concerns, the families have also raised questions about living conditions on board the ship, including reports of installation problems and a lack of fresh food.
Cao rejected claims of widespread problems, but acknowledged temporary “localized pipe failures” and problems involving the ships’ reverse osmosis desalination units.
Some dining options were also limited for a “short period of time,” according to his letter.
According to the report, the USS Abraham Lincoln has approximately 5,000 people on board.
What did Senator Kirsten Gillibrand say?
Gillibrand criticized the Trump administration’s earlier response to reports of conditions on board.
“What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as ‘fake news’ turned out to be serious and worsening conditions for our service members,” she said in a statement to the BBC following Cao’s letter.
“Our soldiers and their families make tremendous sacrifices every day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect,” she added.
The Navy’s revelation comes as the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group returns to the US after one of its longest continuous deployments, amid renewed scrutiny of the impact of expanded missions on service members.
