(CNN) - Eight members of the US Navy assigned to work within the aircraft carrier strike group “Abraham Lincoln” attempted suicide during a period that included the ships carrying out combat operations against Iran, and the aircraft carrier setting a recent record for the length of its stay at sea. This is according to a letter from the Acting Secretary of the Navy obtained by CNN.
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hong Cao revealed the number - which was not previously reported and includes crew members from several ships sailing together, including the aircraft carrier - in written responses to questions posed by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand about the morale and mental health of the Abraham Lincoln crew.
In his speech, Cao stressed that there were no actual suicides (deaths) among service members during the deployment period.
The rate of suicide attempts among sailors from the Lincoln Strike Group was roughly in line with the rate recorded across active-duty Navy forces through 2024, the most recent year for which the Pentagon has released data on suicide.
That year, the Navy experienced 356 suicide attempts among an estimated 337,000 sailors on active duty.
“Since the beginning of the Lincoln Group deployment, a total of 8 suicide attempts have been recorded,” Cao wrote in a letter dated Tuesday to Gillibrand, a Democrat and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
He added: "This number includes the Lincoln crew and sailors from the carrier's air wing, the strike group command staff, the destroyer squadron, the destroyer escort crews, and all aviation squadrons on board the ships."
It is noteworthy that between 6,000 and 7,000 Navy sailors participated in the deployment of the "Lincoln" strike group on board about 6 ships, as the aircraft carrier remained away from ports for more than 6 days while it was carrying out intense combat operations against Iran.
A US military official told CNN, "Recording 8 suicide attempts is a very high number," noting that the recent deployments of aircraft carrier strike groups usually witnessed one or two cases annually.
He added: "The pressure resulting from combat operations far exceeds the pressure of normal deployment; there are no port visits, there are constant states of alert, etc."
The US Navy did not respond - prior to the publication of this report - to a request for comment regarding the aforementioned letter.
According to the letter, the aircraft carrier "Lincoln" was deployed with various mental health resources on board, including 5 chaplains (chaplains), an integrated prevention counselor, a psychologist, a clinical social worker, 3 behavioral health technicians, and a psychological support dog for field missions.
Sources previously reported to CNN that two sailors belonging to the "Lincoln" battle group - one from the aircraft carrier and the other from another carrier - had jumped into the sea during the recent period, and American officials stated that both were rescued, and others were prevented from jumping, according to reports issued by the "Navy Times" and "Stars and Stripes" newspapers.
In his letter to Gillibrand, Cao also confirmed that an air wing sailor fell overboard from the carrier in early August, but was “quickly recovered” and treated by medical staff aboard the Lincoln.
He added: “In addition, another sailor attempted to jump into the sea in March, but was prevented from doing so by his crewmates. That sailor also received immediate medical attention and later returned to the home base.”
The Navy had previously stated to CNN, saying: “We have not detected any increase in suicidal thoughts or attempts on board the carrier. We pay great attention to the safety and well-being of every service member, and we have specialists in the religious, medical, and mental health fields to evaluate and address any concerns that may arise.”
A US official also previously told CNN that the Navy does not believe there is a relationship between the duration of deployment on a mission and thoughts of self-harm, and that incidents of individuals falling into the sea are not limited to this group specifically.
On the other hand, one of the crew members working on board the aircraft carrier "Lincoln" previously described to CNN "a state of extremely low morale," noting that they "frequently heard about suicidal thoughts among their crewmates." He also spoke of "continuous pressures related to basic facilities, as bathrooms and faucets throughout the carrier were frequently closed, and hot water was often unavailable."
The crew member told CNN in statements he made before an order was issued for the carrier to return to its home base in San Diego: “Every day we wake up and listen to the commander’s speech, we are filled with desperate hope and anxiety to know any developments regarding the date of our return.”
It is noteworthy that the carrier left the Middle East in August, and is expected to return to San Diego in the coming weeks.
Other sailors aboard the Lincoln - who spoke to CNN - described conditions different from what they experienced in their previous missions, largely due to combat operations that prevented the aircraft carrier from stopping in friendly ports. Note that stopping at ports allows ships to supply new supplies, and gives sailors an opportunity for rest and recreation.
