Suicides aboard the aircraft carrier George Washington raise controversy
The US Congress has expressed concern about a spate of suicides among the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
In less than a week in April 2022, three crew members of this ship committed suicide, Stars Stripes wrote.
Ohio Representative Marcy Kaptur believes the suicides were caused by a lengthy repair process for the ship, during which the crew was forced to remain aboard at a Virginia shipyard.
“Hundreds of sailors don’t have housing or a car and are stranded on a ship, it’s really frustrating,” Kaptur said.
She noted that the aircraft carrier’s repair, which began in 2017, was supposed to be completed in 2021, but has been extended until at least 2023.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he did not yet know what caused the suicides and how to prevent similar cases in the future. However, in order to solve the problem of accommodating the crew, 200 sailors were allowed to move to temporary housing near the ship’s base.
Over the past year, seven crew members of the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington have died, and four have committed suicide. In total, 2,700 people work on the aircraft carrier.
“George Washington” – the sixth ship of the Nimitz project, named after the first president of the United States, was laid down in 1986, launched in 1990. It carries on board about 90 planes and helicopters, accommodates 6.3 thousand people in 2.5 thousand cabins.
In 2008, a fire broke out on board the aircraft carrier, which lasted 12 hours. After that, the ship returned to combat duty until it was prepared for repair.
