US senators demand probe into conditions aboard US…

WASHINGTON: US senators are demanding an investigation into reported conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, as concerns grow over food shortages, broken plumbing, contaminated water and mental health problems during the aircraft carrier’s unusually long deployment in the Middle East.

Democratic senators called for answers from the US Navy on Wednesday, citing reports that the nuclear-powered carrier has remained at sea for more than 250 days and has not come ashore for more than 200 days.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, in a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, urged the Pentagon to explain the conditions facing personnel aboard the ship. He said the extended deployment had been accompanied by reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing failures and deteriorating mental health.

The concerns have also reached the Senate Armed Services Committee, with Senator Ruben Gallego calling for an official oversight visit involving a bipartisan Senate delegation.

In a post on X, Gallego said lawmakers should be allowed to inspect the carrier and investigate what he described as alarming reports from personnel and their families.

The USS Abraham Lincoln left San Diego, California, on November 21, 2025, initially heading for duty in the South China Sea. It was later redirected towards the Middle East as tensions escalated ahead of US and Israeli attacks on Iran that began on February 28.

The prolonged deployment has reportedly placed significant pressure on the approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the carrier. During recent meetings, family members reportedly confronted Navy officials over shortages of food and other basic necessities while seeking clarity about when their relatives might return home.

Some accounts have also raised serious concerns about mental health among crew members. Reports cited by lawmakers included alleged suicide attempts and threats by personnel to jump from the ship.

Gallego highlighted claims of moldy showers, irregular hot water, rationed meals and soap, broken toilets and exhausting 12-to-16-hour work shifts without regular days off.

“These are frightening alarm bells,” Gallego said, arguing that the reported conditions require immediate attention.

The allegations come as the Lincoln continues a deployment that has already broken records for consecutive days at sea. Extended deployments can place additional physical and psychological demands on military personnel, particularly when access to supplies, recreation and shore-based support is limited.

The US Navy had not immediately responded to an AFP request for comment.

For the senators, the immediate priority is accountability and determining whether sailors and Marines aboard the carrier have adequate food, water, medical care and safe working conditions.

The growing calls for oversight could now put pressure on the Pentagon and Navy leadership to provide answers about one of the longest and most demanding carrier deployments in recent US military history.