8 US sailors attempted suicide during record deployment for Iran war

• Eight suicide attempts were recorded across the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group during its extended deployment, though there were no suicides aboard the carrier.

• The Lincoln spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea after being deployed to support US operations against Iran, amid reports of supply shortages and crew stress.

• US senator criticises Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth for previously dismissing concerns about conditions aboard the carrier.

Eight sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group attempted suicide during its record-setting deployment in support of the Iran war, the US Navy's top civilian leader has disclosed.

Acting navy secretary Hung Cao provided the figure in a letter to Democratic senator Kirsten Gillibrand dated Tuesday, 22 September, after the New York senator sought information about the conditions faced by the thousands of sailors deployed with the strike group.

The disclosure comes amid growing scrutiny of the Lincoln's extended deployment, with reports of crew stress, mental health concerns and shortages of food and hygiene supplies.

Gillibrand had specifically asked Cao whether there had been any suicides.

'There have been no suicides on board during this deployment,' Cao wrote. 'Since the beginning of LINCOLN'S deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group' — including the Lincoln's crew, carrier air wing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and embarked aviation squadrons.

The Lincoln left its homeport in San Diego in November and reached West Asia in January to support US operations against Iran. It subsequently spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea, setting a record for an uninterrupted deployment.

The carrier and some of its supporting ships stopped in Thailand in early September while returning to California. Its commanding officer Capt. Dan Keeler said the ship would head home soon but could make additional supply stops. He did not give an exact date for the strike group's return.

US President Donald Trump has previously played down concerns about the deployment. Last month, he described the nearly nine-month period at sea as "a good period of time", while adding that US sailors had been deployed for longer periods in the past.

Trump also said in August that a retired admiral had assured him the Lincoln was "beautifully maintained and beautifully taken care of". He did not identify the admiral.

Defence secretary Pete Hegseth has similarly said reports about conditions aboard the carrier were "completely misrepresented".

Gillibrand criticised the administration after Cao's letter was released, arguing that concerns previously dismissed as unfounded had proved more serious. "What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as fake news turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members," she said. "Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect."

Extended carrier deployments can place additional strain on service members who spend prolonged periods away from home, while also increasing demands on ships and equipment. The US Navy continues to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, while the Trump administration has not provided a clear timeline for winding down the war.

With AP/PTI inputs