Conditions on US aircraft carrier at sea for more than 250 days raise alarms
There are reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and other potential harms aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been at sea since November.
Living conditions aboard a US aircraft carrier, deployed for over 250 days, are sparking concern and prompting a US senator to seek information from the military. The situation is also intensifying pressure on the Trump administration regarding the conflict with Iran.
Accounts indicate that US service members on the USS Abraham Lincoln are experiencing food shortages, malfunctioning plumbing, and even suicide attempts.
However, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth dismissed these reports on Thursday, labeling them "completely misrepresented."
The carrier departed San Diego in November, initially bound for the South China Sea, before being redirected to the Middle East prior to the February attacks on Iran. A return date has not yet been disclosed.
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, stated on Thursday, "There have been widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns, and disruptions in the mail system, which have caused many care packages in route to the ship to be lost in transit for months."