The US military has rejected reports of poor conditions aboard the aircraft carrier "Abraham Lincoln", which is stationed in the Middle East, DPA reported.
It pointed out that the ship has among those with the highest percentage of servicemen who renew their service with the US Navy.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which leads US military operations in the region, said on the social network X that 84.4% of the crew have chosen to remain in military service after their contracts expire. The command said the sailors and Marines had maintained their resilience and determination after spending more than 260 days at sea.
CENTCOM also denied reports that a crew member had died aboard the aircraft carrier. A sailor who fell overboard on August 3 was quickly and safely removed from the water, the command said, calling the reports of a fatality false.
"The widespread dissemination of misinformation about the historic mission of the "Abraham Lincoln" is detrimental to the men and women in uniform and their loved ones," CENTCOM stressed.
Iranian media reported that seven people were killed in violent clashes aboard the aircraft carrier and that tensions among the crew were high.
US Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called on the government to explain how it is supporting service members aboard the aircraft carrier, citing reports of shortages of supplies, problems with sanitary facilities and deteriorating mental health.
Reported problems include a shortage of soap, clogged toilets and concerns about the safety of the ship's open decks. It has also been reported that postal system failures have caused shipments of supplies intended for crew members to remain in transit for months.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has separately called for Defense Secretary Pete Hegsett to be removed, saying sailors are paying the price for his incompetence.
Several U.S. media outlets have reported that the Abraham Lincoln will be withdrawn from the Middle East and replaced by the George Washington. CNN said the rotation was planned before the complaints were made.
It is unclear how long the process will take. According to NBC, such a rotation typically takes several weeks.
The U.S. Navy previously said that the George Washington arrived in Da Nang, Vietnam, in late July. On Wednesday, it became clear that the aircraft carrier and its group had already left the Southeast Asian port city on August 5, but their destination was still unknown.
"Abraham Lincoln" and its accompanying ships have increased the US military presence in the Middle East after being transferred from the South China Sea in early January. The US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on February 28, and since then the aircraft carrier has been operating in the Arabian Sea as part of a US naval blockade aimed at preventing ships from entering and leaving Iranian ports.