Eight USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group Sailors Attempted Suicide During Iran Combat Deployment Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Congress that eight sailors across the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted suicide during a deployment that included combat operations against Iran. The carrier set a modern record for time at sea, and lawmakers are demanding answers about conditions aboard. Eight U.S. Navy personnel assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during a period that included combat operations against Iran, when the carrier set a modern record for its time at sea. The figure comes from a letter by acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao, obtained by CNN, and was revealed in written responses to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand about the morale and mental health of the Lincoln crew. Cao wrote that no service members had killed themselves during the deployment.Navy Suicide Attempt Rates During DeploymentThe rate of suicide attempts among the Lincoln strike group's sailors was roughly consistent with that of the entire active duty Navy in 2024, the most recent year for which the Pentagon has released suicide data. That year, the Navy saw 356 suicide attempts."Since the beginning of Lincoln's deployment, there have been a total of eight suicide attempts across the strike group," Cao wrote to Gillibrand, a Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in a letter dated Tuesday. "This number includes the Lincoln crew and sailors from the carrier airwing, strike group and destroyer squadron staff, escorting destroyers and all embarked aviation squadrons." Between 6,000 and 7,000 U.S. Navy sailors were deployed as part of the Lincoln strike group across roughly a half dozen ships, with the carrier kept out of port for over six months while conducting a high rate of combat operations against Iran. "Eight attempted suicides is incredibly high," one U.S. military official told CNN, noting recent carrier strike group deployments have had one or two per year. "The strain of combat ops is much higher than normal deployments.No port calls, constant alerts, etc." The Navy did not respond ahead of publication to a request for comment about the letter.Senator Gillibrand Criticizes Administration Response"What Trump and Secretary Hegseth dismissed as 'fake news' turned out to be serious and deteriorating conditions for our service members," Gillibrand said in a statement Wednesday to CNN. "Our troops and their families make immense sacrifices every single day, yet the president dismissed them with open disrespect. That this administration can find endless taxpayer dollars for bombs, ballrooms, and billionaires, but cannot take care of our service members, is completely unacceptable." The Lincoln deployed with various mental health resources onboard, including five chaplains, one embedded integrated prevention counselor, one psychologist, one clinical social worker, three behavioral health technicians and one expeditionary facility dog, according to Cao's letter. CNN previously reported that two sailors assigned to the Lincoln strike group, one from the carrier and one from another ship, had jumped overboard in recent months. Both were rescued, U.S. officials said.Others were prevented from jumping, according to reports from the Navy Times and Stars and Stripes. In his letter to Gillibrand, Cao also confirmed that a sailor assigned to the airwing went overboard from the ship in early August but was "quickly recovered" and treated by the Lincoln's medical department.Detailed Reports Of Overboard Incidents"Additionally, one sailor attempted to go overboard in March and was stopped by his shipmates. That sailor was also provided immediate medical care and subsequently returned to homeport." The Navy previously said in a statement to CNN, "We have not observed an increase in suicidal ideations or attempts aboard the ship. We take every service member's well-being seriously and have religious, medical and mental health professionals available to assess and address concerns as they arise." A U.S. official also previously told CNN that the Navy does not believe there is a correlation between deployment length and thoughts of self-harm, and that man overboard incidents are not unique to this group. A crew member serving on the Lincoln previously described to CNN that morale on the carrier was very low and said they had heard repeatedly about suicidal ideation by fellow crew members.Harsh Living Conditions On The CarrierThere were regular strains on essential amenities, with toilets and water fountains around the ship frequently closed and hot water often unavailable."Everyday we wake up and listen to our captain speak, we are desperately hoping and anxious for updates on our return," the crew member, speaking before the ship had been ordered to return to its home port in San Diego, told CNN. The ship left the Middle East in August and is expected back in San Diego in the coming weeks.Other sailors aboard the Lincoln who spoke with CNN described conditions unlike their prior deployments, largely due to the combat that has kept the carrier from making stops at friendly ports. Ships can take on new supplies and allow their sailors to rest and relax during those port calls. By Zachary Cohen, CNN. CNN's Davis Winkie and Pamela Brown contributed to this report.If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness in Canada, here are some resources that are available. Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline (Call or text 988 or visit 988.ca). Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1-800-463-2338). Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868).If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.