The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier patrols Middle Eastern waters. [AFP]
The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier patrols Middle Eastern waters. [AFP]

Concerns are mounting over the exhaustion of the crew aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier deployed to the Iran war, after the ship completed 250 consecutive days at sea without a single port call. The deployment, originally set to end in May, has been extended multiple times as the war drags on. Families of crew members say the prolonged mission — compounded by deteriorating living conditions and shortages of basic supplies — has pushed some sailors to the brink, with at least a few reportedly attempting to jump overboard.

According to the Guardian, a meeting between senior Navy officials and families of Lincoln crew members held in San Diego, California, on Aug. 6 raised urgent concerns about the mental health of sailors enduring the extended deployment.

One sailor's wife said her husband had tried to jump into the sea after suffering severe exhaustion from repeated deployment extensions.

She said her husband feared a dishonorable discharge as a result, adding, "Thirteen years of military service could end in an instant just because he said he was too tired."

Another sailor's wife said her husband had pulled a fellow crew member back onto the deck after that sailor attempted to jump overboard.

The Lincoln, carrying roughly 5,000 crew members, is now nine months into its deployment. The ship left its home port of San Diego on Nov. 21 last year, with operations originally scheduled to conclude in May.

The Iran war's prolonged course has forced repeated extensions of the mission. The Lincoln has now gone 250 consecutive days without a port call, setting a record for the longest such stretch in the history of modern US aircraft carriers.

Even during extended deployments, carriers typically make intermediate port calls to allow crew rest, ship maintenance and resupply. The Lincoln's sailors have gone more than eight months without setting foot on land.

Families say the prolonged isolation, on top of problems with onboard facilities, has compounded crew fatigue.

They described mold growing in shower rooms, broken toilets and persistent sanitation problems. Laundry facilities and hot water had been cut off at times, they said, and food and basic supplies were running short.

Rep. Mike Levin, a California Democrat, also urged the Navy to improve conditions for the crew.

"Those serving this country deserve at minimum hot water, functioning toilets and decent meals," Levin said.

The Navy acknowledged that the extended deployment has placed a significant burden on crew members, but drew a line at claims that conditions aboard the ship had seriously deteriorated.

A Navy spokesperson said the service was aware of the strain the long deployment placed on sailors and their families, but said the Lincoln was currently supplied with clean water, air conditioning and adequate food.

On the question of mental health, the spokesperson rebuffed suggestions that suicidal ideation or suicide attempts had increased aboard the Lincoln, saying no such trend had been officially confirmed.

With a mission originally planned for about six months now stretching into its ninth month — and more than 250 days at sea without a port call — the burden on crew members and their families continues to grow. The prolonged Iran war is extending America's military strain beyond equipment and cost to the accumulated exhaustion of the men and women on the front line.

If you or someone you know is struggling, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline at 1393, available 24/7. Please request a translator for English-language services.


sjy@heraldcorp.com