USA05 September, 20262 min read
Abraham Lincoln Leaves Thailand After Five-Day Crew Rest, U.S. Navy Says
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The USS Abraham Lincoln departed Laem Chabang, Thailand, after a five-day port visit. It had been at sea for about 286 days, including Middle East operations.
Lincoln leaves Thailand
The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sunday after a five-day port visit, ending a respite from an extended deployment that included operations in the Middle East, the U.S. Navy said.
U.S. Navy Captain Dan Keeler, the Abraham Lincoln’s commanding officer, said in a statement, “We would like to thank the people of Thailand for their incredible hospitality.”
The nuclear-powered Lincoln, with roughly 5,000 personnel, was involved in the U.S. naval blockade and combat operations in the war with Iran, and Democratic lawmakers said it set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea.
The carrier strike group arrived in Thailand on Wednesday, docking near the resort city of Pattaya, about 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok, where busloads of sailors and Marines wearing civilian clothes began arriving at a hotel shortly after the ships docked.
Living conditions debate
As sailors came ashore in Pattaya, the Guardian described pedicures at Colour Nail salon and sailors seeking “a spare burgundy lounger” during a port call after a record uninterrupted 286 days at sea. The Guardian also said the ship had been plagued by reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health onboard, including attempted suicides, and it reported that the ship’s captain admitted to a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables but said reports were largely exaggerated.
In a separate account, El Comercio Perú said the controversy in the United States over living conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln followed reports of alleged food shortages, infrastructure problems, and mental health concerns. El Comercio Perú added that Donald Trump downplayed the reports and that Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation into life aboard the carrier after its nearly 5,000 crew members were allowed five days ashore in Pattaya.
Security, departures, aftermath
The USS Abraham Lincoln departed Sunday from the Thai port of Laem Chabang, where it had carried out its first stop since Wednesday after 286 days at sea, and AFP reporters observed the departure at 11:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT).
“‘Everything went well,’ Pattaya’s police chief Anek Srathongyoo told AFP.”
Pattaya’s police chief Anek Srathongyoo told AFP, “Everything went well,” and said there were no arrests or fights except on the first day, when the Americans had a fight among themselves.
RFI, citing AFP, said security was tightened in Pattaya during the visit with crackdowns on prostitution ahead of the sailors’ arrival, though the local mayor denied the measure was related to the troops’ presence.
RFI also reported that the U.S. Navy sent two sailors back to the ship following a drunken altercation early Thursday, and that Democratic lawmakers in the United States had called for an investigation after reports of alleged food shortages, infrastructure problems, and mental health issues.