Three US Navy sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush committed suicide last week, the ship’s commanding officer Capt. Sean Bailey confirmed in a post on the ship’s official Facebook page.
The deaths came in the wake of a push by the US Navy to address the rising number of suicides in the service.
While appearing to be unrelated so far, the CO said the last week’s deaths were the third, fourth, and fifth crew member suicides in the last two years.
“It is with a heavy heart that I can confirm the loss of three Sailors last week in separate, unrelated incidents from apparent suicide,” Bailey said.
“Now is the time to come together as a crew and as a family to grieve, to support each other, and to care for those in need.”
The CO has also called for suggestions and ideas on how to prevent another suicide.
No enlisted or commissioned leaders have been relieved in the wake of the suicides, but authorities are investigating the deaths.
It is worth noting that no suicides occurred on the aircraft carrier which is currently docked at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for a 28-month overhaul that started in February this year.