CENTCOM denies reports of deaths, suicide spike aboard USS Abraham Lincoln

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied reports that seven sailors died in a brawl aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier or that the vessel has experienced a recent spike in suicidal ideation.

In a statement posted on X, CENTCOM said the reports were false and stressed that no service members aboard the carrier had died, Caliber.Az reports. 

🚫 CLAIM: Over the past 48 hours, multiple media outlets have reported several false claims related to USS Abraham Lincoln's (CVN 72) deployment to the Middle East. One report alleged seven Sailors died in a brawl aboard the aircraft carrier and others have recently suggested a… pic.twitter.com/U1Hg6l1pjN

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 13, 2026

The command said the USS Abraham Lincoln has maintained an 84.4% crew reenlistment rate, among the highest in the US Navy's aircraft carrier fleet. It added that the carrier strike group had remained at sea for more than 260 days, conducting 10,000 aircraft flights and expending 1.5 million pounds of ordnance.

CENTCOM also said that a sailor who fell overboard on August 3 was quickly and safely recovered.

The statement followed earlier reports about mental health concerns among US military personnel deployed in the region. Military Times previously reported that several service members aboard an aircraft carrier whose deployment was scheduled to end in May had attempted suicide. The newspaper cited excessive workload, exhaustion and depression among factors contributing to the sailors' emotional difficulties.

Bloomberg separately reported that at least five members of US Cyber Command or people associated with the command had died by suicide during the first months of summer. Citing agency data, Bloomberg said the workload for Cyber Command personnel had increased significantly over the previous year amid overseas conflicts, including the US military operation against Iran.

CENTCOM accused media outlets of spreading false information about the Abraham Lincoln's deployment, saying such reporting was a disservice to US service members and their families.

By Sabina Mammadli