3 suicides in 1 week by sailors from aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush

The deaths by suicide of three sailors serving aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush last week have led the ship's commanding officer to urge his crew to come together and help shipmates in need.

The three unrelated deaths by suicide occurred while the ship has been in dry dock at its homeport of Norfolk, Virginia, undergoing scheduled long-term maintenance since earlier this year. None of the deaths occurred aboard the ship.

"Avengers, family, and friends, it is with a heavy heart that I can confirm the loss of three sailors last week in separate, unrelated incidents from apparent suicide," Capt. Sean Bailey, the ship's commanding officer, wrote in a post to the ship's Facebook page. "My heart is broken."

Bailey said these are the third, fourth and fifth crew member deaths by suicide in the last two years. The previous suicides occurred in November 2017 and July 2019.