After a mission lasting more than 250 days at sea, the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is expected to leave the Middle East and be replaced. Families of the sailors have expressed concern over the crew’s severe exhaustion and psychological well-being.
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One of the sailors aboard the ship wrote to a family member on WhatsApp: “I’m exhausted. Completely dead,” after spending more than 250 days at sea.
Speaking to the BBC on condition of anonymity, the family member said the sailor had lost around 29 kilograms since the mission began. He said the intense psychological strain had also affected other crew members.
According to his claims, several sailors have attempted to jump from the ship. He also raised concerns about the conditions in which personnel live on board.
The account indicates that port calls have been infrequent, making it more difficult to obtain fresh food. Even when the aircraft carrier docks at a port, the sailors are not always granted permission to leave the ship.
Other relatives of crew members have also warned of mental health problems among personnel. The USS Abraham Lincoln departed California in November and initially headed for the South China Sea before being deployed to the Middle East.
Reports about conditions aboard the aircraft carrier have been disputed by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who described them as “completely misrepresented.”
The Wall Street Journal reports, however, that the US Navy has decided to send the aircraft carrier USS George Washington to the Middle East. The ship, currently deployed in the Pacific, is based at a port near Tokyo.
The USS George Washington is expected to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been operating for months in waters near Iran and has been involved in Operation “Epic Fury” against the Islamic Republic.
The change comes after the crew’s prolonged deployment, at a time when the region is facing heightened military tensions.
