Afət Ziyadqızı
The US Navy has officially confirmed that eight sailors serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and with its strike group attempted suicide during an extended military mission in the Middle East.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that the information was included in a letter sent by Han Ko, acting secretary of the US Navy, in response to an official inquiry from Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
In the letter, a Navy representative did not fully confirm complaints about technical failures in the drinking-water system and shortages of fresh food. However, the representative acknowledged temporary problems with water-treatment equipment and said some food provisions had been reduced for a short period.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand sharply criticized the Donald Trump administration and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for previously rejecting the problems as “fake news.” She stressed that the psychological pressure and difficult conditions faced by service members were unacceptable.
The USS Abraham Lincoln left California in November last year and was deployed to the Middle East in February. Its deployment was extended several times because of tensions in the region. After a voyage lasting more than nine months, including over 250 days at sea without a port call, the carrier was replaced by the USS George Washington in August. The crew of the ship, which is now returning to the United States, has made its first shore visit in Thailand after a lengthy period at sea.
According to military statistics, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the US Navy and Marine Corps. A study conducted in January 2025 found that sailors serving aboard ships faced more severe psychological stress than personnel in other branches because of harsh conditions, constant noise and intensive work schedules.
