The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln passed through Singapore early Sunday as it headed home after a grueling deployment to the Middle East. It is expected to stop in Thailand to visit the port. Associated Press journalists on the Indonesian island of Batam, across the Singapore Strait, spotted the massive ship as it transited waters near Singapore shortly after 1 a.m. local time. The Japan-based USS George Washington, another American aircraft carrier, arrived earlier this month in the Middle East to replace the USS Lincoln. The Lincoln, one of the largest warships in the US Navy, was supporting the US war against Iran. Her deployment included a record uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days. Concerns have grown over the Lincoln’s prolonged deployment following reports of deteriorating mental health among the crew and shortages of supplies, including food and hygiene products. Thai officials have said the Lincoln will stop in Thailand to rest and recover before returning to its US base. The USS Abraham Lincoln and its approximately 5,000 crew members left San Diego on November 21. The war with Iran, which began in February, extended the mission and intensified its workload. The ship has served as a launching point for thousands of aircraft flights supporting the attacks. Relatives have expressed concern about deteriorating sanitary and mental health conditions and alleged food shortages. US Central Command said reports of an increase in suicidal ideation among the crew were false and said there have been no deaths aboard the ship. The circumstances of an Aug. 3 incident in which a sailor fell overboard and were recovered remain under investigation, according to a Navy statement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the time that reports of problems aboard the transported plane had been “disrepresented.” Jefferson Kelley, whose son Jackson is aboard the Lincoln on his first deployment, told “CBS Mornings” earlier this month that he “would get on a plane or helicopter tonight to be sent to the Lincoln if it meant bringing him home to his mother, his siblings and his family.” “They shouldn’t be deployed for that long,” Kelley said. “These are old ships. They’re not even state-of-the-art. And they require a lot of maintenance, a lot of work. They run 24 hours a day.” More from CBS News Go deeper with The Free Press
