RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Several Democratic lawmakers have called for answers from the Pentagon and the Navy about conditions on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier after reports emerged claiming multiple U.S. service members had attempted to jump overboard .
Family members of the roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines on the Lincoln say at least two U.S. personnel aboard have tried to jump from the warship amid claims of worsening conditions, dwindling provisions and plummeting mental health among those on the carrier.
The Lincoln left its base in San Diego in November, and has spent a record-breaking more than 200 days continuously at sea after being rerouted from the Pacific to the Middle East ahead of the start of the United States' war with Iran in late February.
Complaints about conditions on the carrier first surfaced in April, which the Navy denied at the time and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth dismissed as "fake news."
"Based on information available to the command, we have not identified an increase in reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempts aboard the ship," a U.S. Navy spokesperson told Newsweek on Wednesday, when responding to questions about reports sailors had attempted to jump overboard.
"We take every service member’s well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise," they added.
On Monday, Democratic Representative Mike Levin of California said sailors on the Lincoln didn't have basic hygiene supplies, access only to moldy showers and broken toilets and often didn't have hot water or enough food.
Arizona Senator Ruben Gallego, another Democrat, called on the Department of the Navy to allow members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to visit the Lincoln "to conduct oversight investigation into this horrible situation."
"Aircraft carriers are extraordinarily dangerous workplaces under normal conditions," Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut separately said in a letter addressed to Hegseth on Wednesday. "Extended periods at sea can compound those inherent risks through fatigue, deferred maintenance, and reduced opportunities for rest and recovery."
The Lincoln has been deployed for just under nine months overall, with a brief port call in Guam in December.
Most carrier deployments are between six and seven months, although they can be drawn out under certain circumstances. There will typically be port calls throughout this period to refuel and allow crew members to rest.
Blumenthal's letter to Hegseth was also addressed to acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, who spoke with family members in recent weeks about concerns over sailors' mental health and safety, according to specialist military media outlets.
In one conversation, Cao said the Lincoln would be relieved by the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier group but did not specify when, MS Now reported.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Cristina Diciu.
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