Eight sailors attempt suicide during USS Abraham Lincoln deployment

Eight sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln tried to take their own lives during a deployment that lasted more than nine months. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao revealed this in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand on 23 September 2026. The ship spent more than 250 days at sea without stopping at port. The strike group had around 7,500 service members and took part in combat operations against Iran. A military official said eight attempts is unusually high, because typical carrier deployments see only one or two per year. No sailors died. Family members had already raised concerns about poor mental health and bad living conditions on board. The USS George Washington took over from the Abraham Lincoln in August 2026.