The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said on Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions on board.
The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in over 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.
The ship, which has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, will be in Thailand for “rest and recreation after their long sea journey,” the official said, asking not to be named.
Thailand’s Navy confirmed a U.S. Navy carrier strike group would make a brief stop in eastern Thailand, with no exercises taking place. It did not name the three vessels or provide a date for the visit, citing security concerns.
“The stop is a routine port visit intended to allow personnel to rest and recuperate … as well as to receive logistical support,” the Thai Navy’s spokesperson said in a statement.
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Lincoln left its home port of San Diego in November and was later redirected to the Middle East to support U.S. military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Military Times spoke to family members of Lincoln sailors this month, who said that multiple sailors had attempted to go overboard at sea amid declining morale on the ship.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the reports “completely misrepresented” the conditions on board.
Thailand is the United States’ only treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia, having been a treaty ally since 1954 and a major non-NATO ally since 2003. Both countries’ militaries maintain strong relations.
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