Eight attempted suicides during US aircraft carrier's extended mission
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FILE PHOTO: Personnel and aircraft on the deck of the U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as it sails toward Laem Chabang Port before docking for a rest stop following a long deployment in the Middle East, in Chonburi province, Tha
WASHINGTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - There were eight suicide attempts among US sailors on board the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during its extended 286 consecutive-day deployment at sea, the Pentagon told a lawmaker in a written response to questions.
The nuclear-powered Lincoln, with roughly 5,000 personnel, was involved in the US naval blockade and combat operations in the war with Iran and — according to Democratic lawmakers — set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea. The strike group consists of the carrier itself and several other warships.
In a letter to US Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand dated September 22, Acting US Navy Secretary Hung Cao said that while there were no suicides during the deployments, there were a total of eight attempts on board the aircraft carrier and its accompanying vessels.
It was unclear how many individuals carried out the attempts.
"That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms, and billionaires, but cannot take care of our service members, is completely unacceptable," said Gillibrand, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Earlier this month the Abraham Lincoln and some of its supporting ships arrived at port in eastern Thailand after 286 days at sea, after having been deployed last November.
Typically naval deployments are for between six and nine months but can be extended during times of conflict. Mental health issues on long deployments have long plagued the US Navy.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Jonathan Spicer )
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