US aircraft carrier on way to relieve USS Lincoln after issues reported on board
Thousands of sailors on the Lincoln have reportedly faced food shortages and broken plumbing, with some considering jumping overboard.
A U.S. aircraft carrier is en route to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, following reports of significant challenges faced by thousands of sailors during its extended nine-month deployment. The USS George Washington, which commenced a Pacific patrol in May, is now heading west to the Middle East.
The USS George Washington was observed near Malaysia on Thursday and is projected to reach the region in approximately nine days, according to analysis by the BBC. The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has 5,000 personnel aboard, has reportedly been marked by food shortages and difficult living conditions.
Family members of those serving on the Lincoln have voiced apprehension regarding the mental well-being of the sailors, with some reports indicating that individuals have attempted to jump overboard. While the U.S. Navy has acknowledged certain supply chain disruptions, it has refuted claims of a mental health crisis aboard the Lincoln.
CBS News, a U.S. partner of the BBC, cited a U.S. official stating that the George Washington departed a naval facility in Yokosuka, Japan, in May for patrols in the Pacific before being redirected to replace the Lincoln. Tracking data compiled by BBC Verify indicates that, at its last recorded speed, the vessel is expected to arrive at Duqm port in Oman, situated approximately 500 miles off the Iranian coast, around August 22.
Upon its arrival in the Middle East, the USS George Washington will join the USS George H.W. Bush, making it the third aircraft carrier in the area. Consequently, no U.S. aircraft carriers will remain in the Pacific region. The Lincoln has been at sea since December 11, on a deployment initially scheduled to conclude in May, as per BBC Verify's tracking data.
Earlier this week, both the Military Times and Stars & Stripes reported that families of multiple sailors claimed their loved ones had contemplated jumping overboard due to the ship's conditions. These conditions reportedly include poor sanitation, infrequent port visits, malfunctioning plumbing, exhaustion, and shortages of fresh food.
In an interview with the BBC, a relative of a sailor on the Lincoln, who requested anonymity due to concerns about retaliation, stated that their family member had lost 65 pounds (29 kg) since the ship's departure and was suffering from exhaustion attributed to constant aircraft noise and ship vibrations. The relative also confirmed that sailors had attempted to jump from the vessel.
The U.S. Navy has denied any increase in suicidal behavior on the Lincoln but has conceded that supplies were "disrupted by combat actions" during the conflict with Iran. Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern regarding the conditions on the ship.
In a letter addressed to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao on Wednesday, Connecticut Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal stated that reports of shortages and poor conditions "warrant immediate attention." He further questioned "whether the Navy can sustain the operational tempo now being demanded of its carrier force."
Hegseth, speaking to reporters on Thursday, asserted that some media reports had been "completely misrepresented." He affirmed that the U.S. government was ensuring "every ship, every crew, every captain has everything we can provide them at every single moment."