A U.S. sailor launches an F-35C Lightning II, assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, from the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln during the ongoing conflict with Iran August 5, 2026. U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
A sailor who jumped overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln had repeatedly reported vision problems to superiors.
The 19-year-old sailor was allowed to continue working on helicopter repairs on the flight deck, despite his complaints, reported MS NOW's Priya Sridhar.
His wife explained her husband's expired contact lenses impaired his ability to see, causing him to fear making mistakes. She added, when her husband reported these concerns, superiors "yelled at him" rather than addressing the safety issue.
“They still allowed him to work,” she added.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was off Iran's coast when the sailor reportedly jumped overboard.
The sailor was in the water for over an hour before he was rescued and the Pentagon took four days to notify his wife of the incident.
His wife also reported he expressed panic about mental health issues stemming from the carrier's extended 9-month deployment, which has now been extended twice with no end date announced.
MS NOW reported, ”Many family members are concerned about potential exhaustion, low morale and the mental health of those on board, as the aircraft carrier’s deployment at sea appears to have been extended twice during the ongoing Iran war, with no clear end in sight.”
The incident has intensified criticism of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's handling of the deployment.
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