Families of US Sailors Report Suicide Attempts

A long deployment on the USS Abraham Lincoln is drawing intense scrutiny, with families and lawmakers warning of a mounting mental health crisis aboard the aircraft carrier. Two military newspapers, the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes, separately report on the issue, which they say includes thwarted attempts by sailors to jump overboard. The 5,000-person crew is entering its ninth month at sea—a stretch that includes more than 240 straight days and counting without touching land, which Stars and Stripes reports is a record.

At a town hall in San Diego, relatives described exhausted sailors, suicide concerns, and what Democratic Rep. Mike Levin called "moldy showers" and chronic shortages of basics like hot water and toiletries, per the Guardian. The Navy says it has not seen a rise in reported suicidal thoughts or attempts and insists sailors have access to clean water, working AC, "healthy meal options," and onboard mental health support. The ship's deployment, repeatedly extended due to the war with Iran, has reportedly included just two days on shore.

The Navy Times speaks with Annabelle Loma, who says her husband attempted to jump overboard when his time at sea kept getting extended with seemingly no end in sight. "He's scared. He thinks he'll get a dishonorable discharge, and just because he was burnt out his 13-year career is ruined, just like that," she says.