Admiral says Abraham Lincoln crew well amid concerns

Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, said Sunday that the USS Abraham Lincoln had one of the lowest rates of mental health problems among the Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers. His statement came after a crewman jumped off the ship earlier this month. Cooper described his visit to the ship over the weekend as awe-inspiring and said the crew was resilient despite the difficulties of a long service period at sea.

The ship has been deployed for a record-breaking term of nearly nine months, which was extended due to the Iran war. It has been positioned in the Arabian Sea near Iran for the last few months.

Cooper’s comments came after weeks of concern over conditions aboard the ship. The Navy acknowledged that one person went overboard in early August before being safely recovered. It was unclear whether the incident was a suicide attempt, according to the Associated Press. The Navy hadn’t logged an increase in suicide attempts or cases of suicidal ideation aboard the ship, it said. Military Times reported that others also attempted to jump overboard. Sailors’ families have complained of shortages and disruptions to food, hygiene, and mail.

When will Abraham Lincoln’s deployment end? The USS George Washington carrier, which was previously the only U.S. carrier in the Pacific, began its voyage to the Arabian Sea last week to replace the Abraham Lincoln. It is expected to arrive soon.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on a Trump order for increased shipbuilding.