It has been nearly 210 days since the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was deployed in the Middle East, and the extended mission and harsh conditions, including reported food shortages, have pushed some sailors to the brink. As the exhausted crew continues to support US President Donald Trump’s war against Iran, families of crew members have claimed that some sailors have even attempted to jump overboard because of deteriorating morale.
The US and Iran have continued exchanging retaliatory strikes after a fragile peace memorandum signed in June collapsed. At the centre of the confrontation is control of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for crude oil shipments. The US has also strengthened its blockade of Iranian ports, with around 20 warships, including the USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed across the region.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was sent to the Middle East in January this year.
SAILORS PUSHED TO BREAKING POINT
With no clear end to the exhausting deployment, families have expressed growing concerns about the mental well-being of sailors aboard the carrier.
“He's scared. He thinks he will get a dishonourable discharge,” Annabelle Loma, whose husband was reportedly among those who attempted to jump from the carrier, told Military Times.
Loma said the carrier’s ombudsman informed her about the alleged incident, but she has not received any direct communication from the US Navy. She said her husband has since been placed on “medical hold”, meaning he is being kept under observation for medical reasons.
The Cradle separately reported that at least six sailors aboard the Abraham Lincoln had allegedly attempted to jump overboard.
In another reported incident, a sailor’s wife said her husband managed to prevent a colleague from going over the side of the ship. Maria Rodriguez told Military Times that her husband grabbed the sailor by the arms and pulled him back onto the deck as he attempted to jump.
“He said he hadn't felt adrenaline like that in his life, and he was just so thankful to be able to get to (the sailor) in time,” Rodriguez said.
In a separate incident, a sailor told Stars and Stripes that watch standers responsible for monitoring the ship intervened and stopped another sailor from jumping overboard.
FOOD SHORTAGES, BROKEN TOILETS ADD TO WOES
Crew members have also reportedly raised concerns about conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose deployment was initially expected to conclude in May but has since been extended indefinitely.
The aircraft carrier has actually been at sea since November 2025, when it was deployed from San Diego. It was subsequently redirected to the Middle East in January. The ship has now spent around 250 consecutive days at sea.
Normally, ships undertaking extended deployments make port calls for routine supplies, maintenance and other essential requirements.
During calls with relatives, sailors and Marines have reportedly described increasingly difficult conditions aboard the carrier. According to The Independent, some sailors complained that meals had been reduced to as little as half a cup of rice and two tortillas. Basic items such as soap and toothpaste were also reportedly unavailable.
Relatives also claimed that sailors had complained about malfunctioning toilets, mouldy showers and a lack of laundry services for several weeks.
The US Navy has not directly responded to those specific allegations. It has only said that the “psychological readiness” of sailors is being monitored continuously.
The concerns were raised with US Navy acting secretary Hung Cao during a meeting attended by around 200 family members in San Diego last week.
Although Cao did not provide a specific timeline, he said the USS Theodore Roosevelt would eventually be deployed to relieve the Abraham Lincoln.
“The morale is not good. The ship's doctor or therapist said they need to hit port soon or people are going to start... losing their minds,” Bonnie York, whose stepson is serving aboard the Lincoln, told The Independent.
The situation is not entirely unprecedented. Earlier this year, the USS Tripoli and USS Gerald R. Ford also faced reports of sewage-related problems and food shortages. The US Navy dismissed those reports at the time as “false”.
There was also speculation in May that a fire aboard the Gerald R. Ford could have been deliberately started by exhausted sailors. The US Navy has launched an investigation into that incident.
The reports surrounding the USS Abraham Lincoln, along with the earlier incidents aboard other US Navy vessels, underscore the difficult conditions sailors have reportedly endured during the prolonged conflict with Iran.
