8 crew members on a US aircraft carrier attempted suicide during the fighting against Iran - Report

Eight crew members in the US Navy, who served as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, reportedly attempted to commit suicide during the period in which the group was carrying out combat operations against Iran. This is according to a letter from Acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, which came into the possession of CNN on Thursday.

The information was revealed in a letter written in response to questions raised by Gillibrand regarding the morale and mental health status of the staff members. Cao wrote that since the strike group's operations began, eight suicide attempts have been recorded.

The events took place during a period in which the aircraft carrier was at sea for more than half a year, during which it conducted extensive combat operations against Iran. According to CNN, the carrier even set a modern record for the length of time it remained at sea.

The strike group consisted of between 6,000 and 7,000 naval personnel, spread across about six ships. The figure of eight attempts includes crew members from the aircraft carrier, the air wing personnel, the strike group headquarters, the destroyer squadron, the destroyers that accompanied the carrier, and the aviation squadrons on board.

According to Cao, none of the crew members died as a result of a suicide attempt.

An American official who spoke with CNN said that eight suicide attempts is a high number, noting that in previous deployments of aircraft carrier strike groups, typically only one or two attempts per year were recorded. The official said combat activity creates a higher level of stress than routine missions, among other reasons, due to continuous alerts and the lack of port stops.

Cases of jumping off the ship

In his letter, Cao also confirmed several incidents in which crew members jumped or attempted to jump from the ships. According to him, at the beginning of August, a crew member serving in the air wing fell or jumped from the ship, but was quickly rescued and received medical treatment in the medical department of the "Abraham Lincoln".

In another incident that occurred in March, a crew member attempted to jump off the ship but was stopped by his colleagues. He also received medical treatment and later returned to the home port.

Cao's letter noted that during the operation, five priests, an abuse prevention advisor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, three behavioral health professionals, and a service dog were available to the members of the strike team. The Navy previously told CNN that no increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts had been identified on board the carrier.

However, staff members have reportedly described low morale and difficult service conditions, among other issues, due to prolonged stays at sea and combat operations. According to them, there have also been recurring problems with essential facilities on the ship, including toilets, drinking fountains, and hot water.