Family members are sounding the alarm over conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln operating in the Middle East
Sailors on a US aircraft carrier operating near Iran attempted to jump overboard amid exhaustion and low morale caused by extended operations, several news outlets have reported, citing crew members’ families.
Families have expressed concern over living conditions and mental health on the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose deployment began in late November and was expected to end in May but has since been extended indefinitely. The ship reportedly went long periods without regular port visits for replenishment, maintenance, and rest.
Annabelle Loma told Military Times on Tuesday that the ship’s ombudsman had informed her that her husband had tried to jump off the carrier. “He thinks he’ll get a dishonorable discharge, and just because he was burnt out,” she said.
Maria Rodriguez, the wife of another sailor, said her husband had intervened in a separate incident, preventing a shipmate from going overboard.
According to Stars and Stripes, active-duty sailors and family members described a bleak atmosphere aboard the ship, detailing reports of suicidal thoughts and at least one case in which a crew member was prevented from jumping overboard.
“We’ve just been turning and burning the whole time we’ve deployed,” a sailor told the publication, noting that morale, which was high at the beginning of the deployment, had declined.
MS NOW cited families as saying last week that the crew had struggled with food shortages and that the ship’s store often lacked basic supplies such as toothpaste, soap, and deodorant.
The US Navy said in a statement on Monday that it was “continuously conducting assessments to monitor and sustain the psychological readiness of every sailor.”
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group was preparing to relieve the Lincoln but did not provide a timeline, citing operational security.
The US and Israel launched their war against Iran with a wave of airstrikes on February 28. Iran, however, withstood the bombardment, while peace talks have largely stalled as the vital Strait of Hormuz remains closed to most shipping.
Polls show that US President Donald Trump’s war has been consistently unpopular among Americans. According to an Economist/YouGov survey released on Tuesday, the president’s approval rating dropped to 33%, its lowest level recorded by YouGov since he returned to office in 2025.
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