U.S. Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln Departs Thailand Following Respite Call

Sept 6 (Reuters) — The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln departed Thailand on Sunday after a five-day port visit, concluding a break from an extended deployment that involved operations in the Middle East, the U.S. Navy announced.

“We would like to thank the people of Thailand for their incredible hospitality,” said U.S. Navy Captain Dan Keeler, commanding officer of the Abraham Lincoln, in a statement.

Naval deployments typically span six to nine months, but these periods can be extended during times of conflict.

The nuclear-powered Lincoln, carrying approximately 5,000 personnel, participated in the U.S. naval blockade and combat operations during the war with Iran and, according to Democratic lawmakers, set a modern record for consecutive days at sea.

Accompanied by other U.S. naval vessels, the Lincoln arrived early on Wednesday in Thailand, the United States’ only treaty ally in mainland Southeast Asia, for a visit that Thai officials said would last five days.

Busloads of sailors and Marines dressed in civilian attire, many smiling and waving, began arriving at a hotel in the resort city of Pattaya, roughly 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Bangkok, shortly after their ships docked.

(Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Kate Mayberry)

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