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The USS Abraham Lincoln Alamy Stock Photo
Suicide attempts
Families of sailors on US aircraft carrier say loved ones are despairing after 250 days at sea
When he launched the war against Iran in late February, US president Donald Trump predicted it would last “four to five weeks”.
WHAT WAS SUPPOSED to be a routine deployment to the Pacific for the USS Abraham Lincoln has become a gruelling combat mission in the Arabian Sea, and it’s taking a toll on the aircraft carrier’s 5,000 sailors.
Family members of the crew have told news outlets that specialise in American military affairs that their loved ones have been struggling with mental health issues, water contamination and food shortages during their 250 consecutive days at sea.
The Navy Times and Stars and Stripes newspapers have reported three suicide attempts on board the ship, all of which were prevented by intervening crewmates.
Stars and Stripes reported that one spouse told the navy’s leadership “he hopes he doesn’t wake up tomorrow”.
The Lincoln set out from San Diego on 21 November and was supposed to return to the US in May.
Almost six months later, the sailors on the Lincoln have no set return date.
They have also had no shore leave apart from one stop in Oman in July, where they were not allowed to leave a military compound.
Their families told the news outlets their loved ones are exhausted and that morale is abysmally low.
During recent town hall meetings with the crew’s families, the navy’s leadership assured them there is adequate mental health support for the sailors and said that more counsellors would be sent to the ship.
In April, the navy denied that there were food shortages on the Lincoln, calling the reports “false”. Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, called the reports “fake news from the Pharisee press”.
During the stopover in Oman, the boat was resupplied with fresh fruit and vegetables for the first time in months, Stars and Stripes reported.
Another issue for the sailors on the Lincoln is receiving post, which has been disrupted.
All of these issues have resulted from, or been exacerbated by, the way the war has played out in the Middle East.
Iran has responded to the US-Israeli bombing campaign by attacking nearby US-aligned countries, including American military bases where navy ships would normally be able to pull in every 30 to 45 days.
Iran has also made the economically vital Strait of Hormuz impassable.
Trump has said nobody could have predicted this would be Iran’s response, even though it was a widely held view among military analysts.
“We’ve just been turning and burning the whole time we’ve been deployed,” one sailor told Stars and Stripes.
“Nothing really to look forward to at this point. All we want is a date home.”
A parent wrote to the paper saying their son had told them his shipmates were “constantly thinking about jumping off the ship just for relief”.
The US government has stated multiple war aims since the war began and Trump has declared victory numerous times since February.
There was a ceasefire in place while negotiations between the US and Iran took place, but that has fallen apart and the two sides are continuing to trade strikes.
The war has also expanded to include attacks from the Houthis in Yemen against Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed militant groups in Iraq are also now involved.
None of this points to the conflict coming to an end any time soon.
The issues on the Lincoln became a political issue this week.
On Wednesday, Congressional Democrats demanded answers from Hegseth.
Senator Richard Blumenthal referred to “widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns” and other problems aboard the Lincoln.
The @USNavy is correct. More FAKE NEWS from the Pharisee Press.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 18, 2026
My team confirmed the logistics stats for the Lincoln & Tripoli. Both have 30+ days of Class I supplies (food) on board. NavCent monitors this everyday, for every ship.
Our sailors deserve — and receive — the best. https://t.co/XekXU6oHOo
Congressman Mike Levin said in a post on X that the sailors were being served meals that “came down to half a cup of rice and two tortillas”.
Senator Ruben Gallego called for “an official oversight visit with the bipartisan Senate Delegation to the USS Lincoln to investigate the reported alarming conditions,” in a post on X.
“The stories of crew members threatening to jump off the ship are a frightening alarm bell as to how bad the situation has become: mouldy showers, sporadic hot water, rationed meals and soap, broken toilets, and gruelling 12- to 16-hour shifts with no days off,” Gallego wrote in his post, adding that he has served in active duty himself.
“The way (Trump) is treating our service members as he carries out this illegal war is not just disgusting, it’s dangerous.”
- With reporting from AFP
If you have been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can reach out for support through the following helplines. These organisations also put people in touch with long-term supports:
- Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
- Text About It – text HELLO to 50808 (mental health issues)
- Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
- Pieta House 1800 247 247 or text HELP to 51444 – (suicide, self-harm)
- Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
- Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)
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