Key facts
- Multiple sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly attempted to jump overboard.
- The crew has been at sea for nine months, with 250 consecutive days without reaching land.
- Families have voiced concerns about mental health and deteriorating conditions to Navy leadership.
- Lawmakers have cited issues such as moldy showers, broken toilets, and lack of hot water.
- The deployment has been extended due to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Multiple sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly attempted to jump overboard amid an extended deployment tied to the war with Iran, according to reports from the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes. The crew has been at sea for nine months, with 250 consecutive days without making landfall, a record for a modern aircraft carrier.
Families of sailors expressed their anxieties at a town hall meeting with Navy leadership, including acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao. One spouse shared a text message from her husband stating he hoped he would not wake up the next day. Another woman told Cao that the Navy had "broken trust between us and the leadership."
Annabelle Loma told the Navy Times that her husband attempted to jump overboard due to burnout from repeated deployment extensions, fearing his 13-year career would be ruined. Another sailor's wife recounted preventing a crew member from jumping.
Democratic Congressman Mike Levin highlighted poor living conditions on board, including moldy showers, broken toilets, and lack of hot water, soap, deodorant, and toothpaste. Congressman Jason Crow also warned of the growing strain on service members and their families.
The warship departed San Diego on November 21 and was redirected to the Middle East due to the conflict with Iran. The crew has reportedly had only two days on land since then, with the deployment being extended multiple times. In April, photos emerged of poor food quality and reports of water shortages and broken amenities, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed as "fake news." Levin responded by stating that service members deserve basic necessities like hot water and working toilets.
Mental health challenges among active-duty Navy personnel are a known issue, with a study indicating that nearly half of deployed sailors felt they were not receiving adequate stress coping support. The study concluded that improved healthcare access on ships is urgently needed given high rates of military suicide.