Eight US Navy sailors assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a deployment that included combat operations against Iran, according to Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao.

Cao disclosed the figure in a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, saying the eight attempts involved personnel across the carrier strike group, including sailors serving aboard the aircraft carrier, its air wing, escorting destroyers and other units. No sailor died by suicide during the deployment, which involved between 6,000 and 7,000 personnel.

Eight Suicide Attempts Across Carrier Strike Group

“Since the beginning of Lincoln’s deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group,” Cao wrote in the letter to Gillibrand, according to CNN.

The USS Abraham Lincoln spent more than six months at sea as part of a deployment that included combat operations against Iran. The extended mission, combined with limited opportunities for sailors to visit ports, has raised concerns about the impact of the deployment on their wellbeing.

The carrier strike group comprised several ships and units, with between 6,000 and 7,000 personnel involved in the deployment. The suicide attempts were recorded across the wider group rather than being limited to sailors serving aboard the Lincoln itself.

Prolonged Deployment Raises Mental Health Concerns

CNN reported that the number of suicide attempts was broadly in line with the rate recorded across the active-duty US Navy in 2024. That year, there were 356 reported suicide attempts among an estimated 337,000 sailors.

However, a US military official told CNN that carrier strike group deployments had typically recorded one or two suicide attempts annually. The official said combat operations could place additional strain on personnel because of constant alerts and limited port calls.

Cao’s letter said several mental health resources were available to personnel aboard the Lincoln. These included chaplains, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, behavioural health technicians and a prevention counsellor.

Navy Disputes Claims Of Increased Suicidal Behaviour

The Navy had previously rejected suggestions that the prolonged deployment had resulted in an increase in suicidal behaviour among sailors.

“We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship,” the Navy said in a statement to CNN, adding that “religious, medical and mental health professionals” were available to provide support.

Cao’s letter also confirmed two separate incidents involving sailors going overboard or attempting to do so. In August, one sailor went overboard but was quickly recovered and treated by the ship’s medical team. In March, another sailor attempted to go overboard but was stopped by fellow sailors and received immediate medical care.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has since left the Middle East and is expected to return to its home port in San Diego in the coming weeks.

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