The Trump administration has officially acknowledged that there were eight suicide attempts by crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during its long-term deployment to the Middle East.

While the deteriorating mental health and signs of suicide attempts among the Lincoln's crew have been reported multiple times, this is the first time U.S. Navy authorities have confirmed the specific number of suicide attempts.

According to foreign media outlets such as CNN and AFP, acting U.S. Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao stated in a written reply to Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand that a total of eight crew members attempted suicide aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group during this deployment period.

However, it was noted that no crew members died by suicide.

The Lincoln carrier strike group typically consists of 6,000 to 7,000 U.S. Navy personnel distributed across multiple vessels.

Departing from San Diego, U.S., in November of last year, the USS Abraham Lincoln stayed in the Middle East for over nine months, carrying out combat operations related to tensions with Iran.

In particular, as operations continued for over six months without a port call, concerns regarding the accumulated fatigue and mental health of the crew were continuously raised.

The condition of the USS Lincoln, which appeared in Thailand earlier this month, also sparked controversy.

Footage revealed that parts of the hull, which had undergone long-term operations, were covered in rust and algae.

An active-duty U.S. military official interviewed by CNN said that while a typical carrier strike group deployment sees about one or two suicide attempts per year, eight is "a remarkably high number."

However, some interpretations suggest that the level is not significantly different when compared to the entire U.S. Navy.

In 2024, among approximately 337,000 active-duty U.S. Navy personnel, 356 suicide attempts were recorded. CNN explained that considering the scale of personnel, the occurrence rate in the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is not significantly different from the overall U.S. Navy rate.

The U.S. Navy stated that it has deployed mental health support personnel, including psychological counselors and military chaplains, to the USS Lincoln.

It also maintains the stance that a direct link between the long-term deployment and self-harm incidents has not been confirmed.

Reported by An Hyemin | Video by Jung Yong-hee | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News