NewsWorld NewsUS NewsEight US Navy sailors in USS Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted suicide during Iran war deploymentTrendingAndy BurnhamChinese laundryIdaho teacherHuricane PoloTrump UN speechPowerball winnerIran War NewsAndy BurnhamChinese laundryIdaho teacherHuricane PoloTrump UN speechPowerball winnerIran War NewsAndy BurnhamChinese laundryIdaho teacherHuricane PoloTrump UN speechPowerball winnerIran War NewsSaveCommentsShareAa+Text SizeSmallMediumLargePrint  Eight US Navy personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its lengthy deployment, including a period in which the group conducted combat operations against Iran, Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress.Cao disclosed the number in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York on Tuesday, responding to questions from the Democrat about the morale and mental health of sailors serving aboard the carrier and other ships in the strike group.No service member died by suicide during the deployment, according to Cao's letter. The carrier strike group, which has been deployed since November, is now returning to the United States after an extended period at sea.Cao said the eight suicide attempts involved personnel across the wider Abraham Lincoln strike group rather than only sailors serving aboard the carrier.“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 the 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.”The carrier strike group included between 6,000 and 7,000 sailors deployed across roughly half a dozen ships. The USS Abraham Lincoln itself remained out of port for more than six months while conducting a high tempo of combat operations against Iran.The number of attempts was roughly consistent with the rate recorded across the active-duty Navy in 2024, according to the data cited in the material. The Navy recorded 356 suicide attempts that year among an estimated 337,000 active-duty sailors.One US military official, speaking to CNN, described eight attempts as unusually high compared with recent carrier strike group deployments.“Eight attempted suicides is incredibly high,” the official said, adding that recent carrier strike group deployments had recorded one or two attempts per year. “The strain of combat ops is much higher than normal deployments. No port calls, constant alerts, etc.”Cao said the Lincoln strike group had multiple mental health and other support resources available to sailors throughout the deployment.The carrier had five chaplains and several mental health professionals to address the “spiritual and emotional needs of the crew”.According to Cao's letter, the resources included five chaplains, one embedded integrated prevention counsellor, one psychologist, one clinical social worker, three behavioural health technicians and one expeditionary facility dog.The disclosure came after family members of sailors raised concerns about deteriorating mental health and difficult conditions aboard the carrier during its prolonged deployment.Cao's letter also confirmed incidents in which sailors went overboard or attempted to go overboard.He said a sailor assigned to the carrier's airwing went overboard in early August but was “quickly recovered” and treated by the Lincoln's medical department.“Additionally, one sailor attempted to go overboard in March and was stopped by his shipmates. That sailor was also provided immediate medical care and subsequently returned to homeport.”CNN had previously reported that two sailors assigned to the Lincoln strike group, including one from the carrier and another from a different ship, had jumped overboard in recent months. Both were rescued, according to US officials.Other sailors were reportedly prevented from jumping overboard, according to reports cited from Navy Times and Stars and Stripes.The disclosure of eight suicide attempts comes after the Navy previously denied that the Abraham Lincoln was experiencing a mental health crisis.The Navy had said it had not observed an increase in suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship.“We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship. We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise.”A US official had also previously told CNN that the Navy did not believe there was a correlation between the length of the deployment and thoughts of self-harm. The official also said man-overboard incidents were not unique to the Lincoln strike group.The Navy did not respond to a request for comment about Cao's letter ahead of publication, according to CNN.Concerns about the mental health of sailors had emerged alongside complaints about conditions aboard the carrier.A crew member serving aboard the Lincoln previously told CNN that morale was very low and that they had repeatedly heard about suicidal ideation among fellow crew members.The sailor also described recurring problems with basic amenities. Toilets and water fountains around the carrier frequently closed, while hot water was often unavailable.“Everyday we wake up and listen to our captain speak, we are desperately hoping and anxious for updates on our return,” the crew member said while the carrier was still awaiting orders to return to its home port in San Diego.Other sailors who spoke with CNN described conditions that they said were different from their previous deployments, largely because of the combat operations that prevented the carrier from making regular stops at friendly ports.Port calls allow ships to take on fresh supplies and give sailors opportunities to rest and relax. The extended absence of such stops added to the strain of the deployment, according to the sailors cited in the report.The Navy has previously acknowledged supply challenges aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln but rejected broader claims about deteriorating conditions.Cao's letter denied widespread concerns over broken plumbing and shortages of fresh food. However, he acknowledged temporary “localized piping failures” and problems with the carrier's reverse osmosis desalination units.He also said that “main entree options” at meals had been reduced from two to one for a “short time”.The carrier had around 5,000 crew members aboard during its deployment.The USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment stretched across roughly nine months, with the carrier leaving the Middle East in August and expected to return to San Diego in the coming weeks.In August, the USS George Washington was sent to replace the Abraham Lincoln following its nine-month deployment.The Lincoln's prolonged deployment included combat operations against Iran and an extended period without regular port calls, while the Navy maintained that it had not observed an increase in suicidal ideation or attempts aboard the ship.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.About the AuthorAyush PandeyAyush Pandey is a journalist at The Times of India, covering breaking news, politics, defence, and major legal and policy developments across India and the world. His reporting focuses on elections, national security, and institutional affairs, tracking the decisions and conflicts that shape public life.

He specialises in sharp explainers and in-depth feature stories that go beyond headlines to decode political shifts, defence strategy, geopolitical flashpoints, and changing public sentiment. His work combines speed, clarity, and depth for a fast-moving digital audience.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaON CAM: U.S. Troops Kneel & Clean Red Carpet By Hands For Xi; 'Embarrassment For America' | WATCHB-1 Bombers, Gun Salute, Red Carpet: Trump Breaks Protocol For Xi, Rolls Out Grand Welcome | WATCHTrump’s ‘Bomber’ Flex Backfires? Internet Erupts Over POTUS' Grand Welcome To Xi: 'DISGUSTING''Missile Exploded Over Carrier': Iran's Security Chief Rezaei Claims Strike On USS George WashingtonPentagon Confirms 19th U.S. Iran War Casualty As Capt. Bianca C. Wilkerson Dies In DohaIran Threatens To 'Paralyse Airports' Over Flight Ban; U.S. Pressure Sparks Big Warning‘Beg For My Son’s Life’: U.S. Soldier’s Urgent Plea To Xi Jinping Amid Trump Meeting‘Callous & Corrupt’: Kamala Harris Goes Nuclear On Trump; Makes Big Midterms Bombshell | WatchChina DESTROYS Trump's War Plan, Allows Iran Flight Route; BIG Move Ahead Of Xi-Trump MeetingLavrov Says Russia Open To Long-Term Ukraine Peace Talks, But Rules Out Suspending Military Op.123How to keep coriander and mint fresh for weeks5 yoga asanas you can do using just a blank wall and a little space5 questions to ask before making a relationship officialYour home has plenty of windows, so why does it still feel stuffy? An expert explains5 minutes of silence every morning: Before you check your phone, try this for a calmer startFrom Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Moon of Baroda’ to Kim Kardashian’s ‘Cartier Tank’: 5 luxury icons rumoured to be cursedExclusive - From opening up about her wish to adopt a baby to reacting to her link-up with Nirahua aka Dinesh Lal Yadav; Amrapali Dubey on Bigg Boss 20 and moreAditya Dhar to Kartik Aaryan: The men who brought their A-game to the National Film Awards 2026Quote of the day: "Between stimulus and response there is a space,” one line often attributed to Viktor Frankl that changes how you react5 things you should never, ever do in a restaurant123IBPS PO Prelims Result 2026NSE IPOSpaceXGold Rate TodayOctober 2026 School HolidaysSchool holiday todaySamastipur girl molestationUPI transactionsOpenAI breachCBSE Date SheetAsian Games Medal TallyConnor McDavid WifePowerball JackpotDelhi Hit and RunUP EncounterDonald TrumpPM ModiNaomi OsakaJoe ThomasSupreme CourtTired of too many ads?go ad free nowIn USIn WorldUS visa: Immigration lawyer says Green Card lottery, visa processing for 75 banned countries did not resume despite court orderSouth Dakota collector's $750 crock had a rare twin that sold for $32,000How 2017's 10 backpacks grew into a program feeding thousands in Metro AtlantaAlabama turns old gas rig into two reefs, with one rising 632 feet from seafloor'Nagarjuna is an H-1B trafficker': Sara Gonzales claims Indian techie hirer she exposed earlier is now selling home, going back to IndiaFlorida town said workers were enrolled in state pensions; 5 months later, they weren'tSince 2022, a coach’s free job-search network has helped over 50,000 people18-year-old violinist turns concussion recovery into protocol for injured musicians, wins $25,000Meet Gagan Biyani, Indian-origin entrepreneur behind Andreessen Horowitz’s new school that won't give degree but would charge $60k to $90k because Sam Altman, Satya Nadella will take classesNorth Carolina town founded in 1907 votes to dissolve itself after years of financial troubleIndian-origin man in Canada, a permanent resident, jailed for sexually assaulting 15-year-old loses bid to avoid deportationUS visa: Immigration lawyer says Green Card lottery, visa processing for 75 banned countries did not resume despite court orderMeet Lian Yunzhi, 6-year-old Chinese girl who broke women’s Rubik’s Cube world record twice in 3 days; solved in 4.27 secondsSouth Dakota collector's $750 crock had a rare twin that sold for $32,000How 2017's 10 backpacks grew into a program feeding thousands in Metro AtlantaAlabama turns old gas rig into two reefs, with one rising 632 feet from seafloorDaniel Levy got £27m after leaving Tottenham in 2025; total club earnings reach £88mA 1915 Rolls-Royce spent a century with one family before auction'Nagarjuna is an H-1B trafficker': Sara Gonzales claims Indian techie hirer she exposed earlier is now selling home, going back to IndiaPutin says record turnout shows Russians back his military agenda in UkraineTired of too many ads?go ad free nowThe Perfect TracePlay Now  Puzzle CircuitPlay Now  Special puzzlePlay Now  Explore More Puzzles