.jpg?width=1200&auto=webp&trim=3%2C0%2C2%2C0)
USS Abraham Lincoln is set to dock in Thailand next week, giving sailors a chance for “rest and recreation” after reports of declining conditions and mental health issues onboard the ship.
The aircraft carrier departed the Middle East on Saturday and has gone without a port visit for more than 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days spent at sea. Standard naval deployments usually last between six and nine months, though active conflicts can lead to extensions.
Carrying roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines, the warship will arrive in Thailand next week for "rest and recreation after their long sea journey,” a Thai official said Tuesday.
Thailand's Navy confirmed that a U.S. Navy carrier strike group would make a brief stop in eastern Thailand for rest and recuperation, with no military exercises taking place. Citing security concerns, it did not identify the three vessels or supply a date for the visit.
"The stop is a routine port visit intended to allow personnel to rest and recuperate ... as well as to receive logistical support," a spokesperson for the Thai Navy said in a statement.
After leaving its home port of San Diego in November, the Lincoln was redirected to the Middle East to support U.S. military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
Worries for troops on the ship grew earlier this month when two defense publications, Navy Times and Stars and Stripes, reported suicide attempts and falling morale on the carrier. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth brushed off the concerns, stating that the reports "completely misrepresented" conditions on board.
Thailand serves as the United States' sole treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia, remaining a treaty ally since 1954 and a major non-NATO ally since 2003. Both nations' militaries preserve close relations.
Father of USS Lincoln sailor arrested by Border Patrol
The ship made headlines again over the weekend after the immigrant father of a U.S. sailor on board the USS Abraham Lincoln was taken into federal immigration custody and remains in detention.
U.S. Border Patrol arrested Luis Manuel Aviles Roa, originally from Nicaragua, after stopping a car in Key West, Florida, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said Sunday.
"I've been deployed for over nine months, out at sea in the Middle East aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, fighting for a country that has given me everything," Joshua Aviles, the son of the detained immigrant, wrote on Facebook.
"I just got a call that my dad was taken by ICE," he said Saturday, adding that his father had his driver's license, Social Security card and work permit.
"We have done everything through immigration to get his green card approved, and we are just waiting. This is heartbreaking for me. I don't know how I can mentally continue working 12+ hour days knowing that my dad is somewhere, possibly being treated like a criminal," Joshua Aviles wrote.
DHS said Luis Manuel Aviles Roa entered the U.S. illegally and would remain in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention pending removal proceedings.
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you
Read MoreThe US promised ‘the toughest sanctions ever’ on Iran. Here’s what they delivered
There are gas lines in Iran, but no sign yet that its leaders will bow to US sanctions
Bari Weiss is looking to add former CNN anchor Chris Cuomo to CBS News lineup
