Sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln Attempted to Jump Overboard Amid Mental‑health Crisis

Military families and some members of Congress have raised alarms about a growing mental‑health crisis aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, where roughly 5,000 sailors and embarked troops face an unusually long deployment linked to the conflict with Iran.

According to reporting by multiple specialized military outlets, there have been several attempts by sailors to jump from the ship as stress and poor living conditions on board mount. The carrier is now in its ninth month at sea and has gone 250 days without a port call — a record for an aircraft carrier in modern times.

Families pressed Navy leaders in San Diego

At an emotional meeting with Navy officials in San Diego, relatives of crew members expressed deep concern for their loved ones aboard the Lincoln. One woman said she received a message from her husband in which he wrote, "he hopes he won't wake up tomorrow."

The extended deployment and cramped conditions have compounded worries about morale and the availability of mental‑health support for sailors and embarked military personnel. Lawmakers and family advocates have urged Navy leadership to address both immediate safety risks and longer‑term care needs.

Naval commanders have acknowledged the strain but have faced pressure to balance operational demands tied to tensions in the region with the wellbeing of their crews. The situation has renewed scrutiny of deployment lengths and the systems in place to protect service members' mental health during prolonged sea duty.

Photo: АП)