Multiple sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have attempted to jump overboard in recent weeks, according to family members and military reports. The aircraft carrier, carrying roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines, is in its ninth month at sea with 250 consecutive days without making landfall — a record for a modern U.S. aircraft carrier.
The ship left San Diego on November 21 for what was intended as a Pacific deployment. It was redirected to the Middle East in January, and its deployment has been extended multiple times amid the U.S.-Israel war with Iran. The crew has had only two days on land since then: one in Guam and one in Oman.
Families and Sailors Speak Out
Annabelle Loma told the Navy Times that her husband attempted to jump overboard after his deployment was repeatedly extended. He is now on medical hold.
“He’s scared. He thinks he’ll get a dishonorable discharge, and just because he was burnt out his 13-year career is ruined, just like that,” she said.
In another incident, Maria Rodriguez said her husband, while on watch, pulled a fellow sailor back onto the deck as they were preparing to go overboard.
“The least their country owes them is hot water, a working toilet and a real meal,” said Democratic Rep. Mike Levin of California, who has raised concerns about conditions aboard the ship.
Deplorable Conditions
Family members and lawmakers have described dire conditions aboard the carrier :
· Moldy showers and broken toilets
· Long stretches without hot water
· Laundry services down for weeks
· Food shortages, with meals reduced to half a cup of rice and two tortillas
· Basic hygiene supplies like soap and toothpaste running out
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed earlier complaints about conditions as “fake news”.
Lawmakers Demand Investigation
Several Democratic lawmakers are pressing the Navy for answers. Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Hegseth demanding an explanation of the conditions on the Lincoln. Sen. Ruben Gallego has called for an official oversight visit to the carrier.
“The men and women aboard the Lincoln have answered the call to serve their country. The Department owes them not only adequate supplies, maintenance, and support during this deployment,” Blumenthal said.
Navy’s Response
The Navy acknowledged that “extended deployments place a significant strain on our service members and their families”. It insisted it has “not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts” and that sailors have access to counselors and chaplains.
Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao met with about 200 family members in San Diego last week, assuring them that the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group is being prepared to relieve the Lincoln — though he did not provide a date.
The Bottom Line
Sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have attempted to jump overboard amid a record-breaking deployment tied to the Iran war. Families and lawmakers are demanding answers about food shortages, broken facilities, and deteriorating mental health. The Navy says it is working to address the issues but has not set a return date for the ship.
