286 days at sea, 8 suicide attempts: Navy reveals details of USS Abraham Lincoln deployment

Eight US Navy personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its extended deployment, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said in a letter to US Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.

The disclosure covers personnel across the carrier strike group, including the Lincoln's crew, its air wing, escorting destroyers and other units. The revelation comes amid concerns over sailors' mental health and living conditions during the unusually long deployment.

The carrier strike group spent 286 days at sea before its personnel disembarked in Thailand on September 1. The deployment, which was initially expected to end in May, was extended amid the war involving Iran.

Two sailors went overboard

Cao provided the figure in response to questions from Gillibrand about the quality of life of personnel serving aboard the fleet.

“Since the beginning of Lincoln’s deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group,” Cao wrote to Gillibrand, in a letter dated Tuesday.

“This number includes the Lincoln crew and sailors from the carrier airwing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons,” he added, according to CNN.

One sailor attempted to go overboard in March but was stopped by fellow crew members, Cao said. In August, another sailor went overboard and was rescued. The sailor later received medical treatment and was transferred off the ship for follow-up care.

A defence official separately told CBS News that two of the eight attempts took place while the carrier strike group was involved in active fighting with Iran. CBS also reported that there were no deaths by suicide during the deployment.

Reports raised concerns over conditions

The Navy's disclosure follows reports highlighting concerns about sailors' mental health and the strain of spending months at sea. Multiple attempts to go overboard had earlier prompted Democratic lawmakers to seek an investigation into conditions aboard the ship.

Reports also raised concerns about basic supplies, including allegations of mould in showers and shortages of food and soap.

Cao acknowledged delays in replenishing some supplies. He said the number of entrée options was temporarily reduced from two to one to help maintain the ship's endurance and keep it on station. However, he said sailors continued to receive four nutritionally balanced meals each day.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had previously rejected media reports about conditions aboard the Lincoln, saying news organisations had “completely misrepresented” the situation.

The Navy said it remained committed to the health, wellbeing and morale of its sailors.