The hell of the "Lincoln": 250 days at sea and the sailors trying to jump to their deaths
Families of sailors on the aircraft carrier report severe mental distress, suicide attempts, and poor living conditions, while the US Navy claims there has been no increase in reports of suicidal thoughts and that the crew is receiving medical and mental support.
An acute mental health crisis is hitting the crew of the American aircraft carrier "USS Abraham Lincoln". The service members on board are closing in on 250 consecutive days at sea without docking at a port, a modern record for the United States Navy. Following the war with Iran, the 5,000 sailors and marines have been in the middle of the sea for the ninth month, and the operational pressure is taking its toll: several sailors have attempted to jump from the deck to their deaths, according to a publication by the British newspaper "The Guardian", which relies, among other things, on reports from the media outlets "Navy Times", "Stars and Stripes", and the "MS Now" network.
At a tense meeting held in San Diego with the Navy leadership, the soldiers' families expressed their anger and despair. One of the spouses said that her husband texted her that day that he "hopes not to wake up tomorrow". Another sailor's wife described how her husband had to physically struggle with a crew member who tried to jump into the sea, and caught him just before he dove into the water. The family members accused the Acting Secretary of the Navy, Hang Cao, that the trust between the fighters and the leadership has been broken.
The grim situation on the ship is not limited to mental stress. Democratic Congressman Mike Levin warned about the disgraceful living conditions on the ship, which include moldy showers, broken toilets, a lack of hot water, and extremely meager combat rations that included half a cup of rice and two tortillas. The US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, was quick to dismiss the claims and called them "fake news". Levin did not remain silent and replied: "The minimum the country owes them is hot water and working toilets. Hegseth is not even capable of managing that, and he has the audacity to call the families liars".
The current crisis has been building for months. The Lincoln left San Diego in November, and except for two individual days on land in Guam and Oman, it has been in a continuous operational cycle that is being extended again and again.
An official from the US Navy stated in response to "The Guardian" that they are aware of the heavy load, but claimed that "no increase in reports of suicidal thoughts has been identified". The official added that despite disruptions in supply lines, the crew receives clean water, air conditioning, and close mental health support. However, a recent study shows that half of the sailors in the fleet feel they are not receiving proper help in dealing with stress at sea.
