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 sailors aboard the Lincoln have reported at least two incidents in which personnel attempted or appeared to prepare to go overboard, according to military news outlet the Navy Times, amid concerns about living conditions, supply shortages, exhaustion and mental health.
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.
Family Members Speak To US Officials
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.
Annabelle Loma told the Navy Times that her husband was “burnt out” and had attempted to jump overboard from the Lincoln during the current deployment. He is “scared” he may be dishonorably discharged from the U.S. military, she added.
Maria Rodriguez told the outlet that in a separate incident, her husband, who is also on the aircraft carrier, pulled a shipmate on deck as they were preparing to go overboard.
Update 8/13/2026 10:15 .a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Cristina Diciu.
