250 Days: US Sailors Jump Ship
Multiple sailors attempt to jump overboard as 5,000-strong crew hits breaking point on record-breaking deployment to Middle East.
Story timeline4 updates
Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, father of a USS Abraham Lincoln sailor, has been released from ICE detention.
The USS George Washington is headed to the Middle East to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The USS George Washington is headed to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln in about 9 days.
Story published. Multiple sailors attempt to jump overboard as 5,000-strong crew hits breaking point on record-breaking deployment to Middle East.
Multiple sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have attempted to jump overboard as the aircraft carrier's extended deployment has triggered a mental health crisis, according to reports from military families and lawmakers.
The carrier departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, for a routine Pacific deployment but was redirected to the Middle East in January. The crew has now spent 250 consecutive days at sea—a record for a modern aircraft carrier—and the overall deployment has stretched beyond nine months. The ship has been involved in combat operations against Iran for five months.
Families of the approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard have reported severe conditions, including food shortages, broken plumbing, water contamination, and deteriorating mental health. At an emotional town hall meeting in San Diego last week, around 200 family members confronted Navy leadership, with one spouse saying her husband texted that "he hopes he doesn't wake up tomorrow." Another wife, Annabelle Loma, told military media outlets that her husband attempted to jump overboard after his deployment was extended, fearing a dishonorable discharge would end his 13-year career.
Congressional pressure mounts
Senator Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on August 12 demanding accountability for the conditions aboard the Lincoln, citing "widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns" and other problems. Senator Ruben Gallego called for an official bipartisan Senate delegation visit to investigate the "alarming conditions."
One family member told Navy leadership at the town hall that the service had "broken trust between us and the leadership."
Navy response
The Navy has announced plans to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln with the USS George Washington and said it will send additional mental health professionals to the carrier. However, the immediate relief for the current crew remains unclear, with families demanding to know when their loved ones will return home.
