USS Lincoln sails past Singapore on its way to the Middle East after grueling 9-month deployment

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln sailed past Singapore early on Sunday as it headed home after a grueling deployment in the Middle East. It’s expected to stop in Thailand for a port visit.

Associated Press journalists on the Indonesian island of Batam, across the Singapore Strait, spotted the massive vessel as it transited waters near Singapore just after 1 a.m. local time.

The Japan-based USS George Washington, another U.S. aircraft carrier, arrived earlier this month in the Middle East to replace the USS Lincoln.

The Lincoln, one of the U.S. Navy’s largest warships, was supporting the U.S. war against Iran. Its deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days. Concerns have grown about the Lincoln’s lengthy 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 for rest and recovery before returning to its U.S. base.

The USS Abraham Lincoln and its roughly 5,000 crew members left San Diego on Nov. 21. The war with Iran, which began in February, extended the mission and intensified their workload. The ship has served as a launch point for thousands of aircraft flights supporting the strikes. 

Family members have voiced concerns about deteriorating sanitary and mental health conditions, and alleged food shortages. U.S. Central Command said reports of increased suicidal ideation among the crew were false, and said there have been no deaths aboard the vessel. The circumstances of an incident on Aug. 3 where a sailor fell overboard and was recovered remain under investigation, according to a Navy statement. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the time that  reports of issues onboard the aircraft carried had been “misrepresented.”

Jefferson Kelley, whose son Jackson is aboard the Lincoln on his first-ever deployment, told “CBS Mornings” earlier this month that he would “get on a plane or helicopter tonight to get shipped out to the Lincoln if it meant bringing him home to his mom and his siblings and his family.” 

“They should not be deployed this long,” Kelley said. “These are old ships. It’s not like they’re even state-of-the-art. And they take a lot of maintenance, a lot of work. It’s around the clock.”