US Navy Allows Sailors to Move Off USS George Washington After Suicides

A U.S. Marine Corps C-130 Hercules aircraft leads a formation of F/A-18C Hornet strike fighters and A/V-8B Harrier jets over the aircraft carrier USS George Washington off the coast of South Korea on July 27, 2010. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Charles Oki/U.S. Navy via Getty Images

The U.S. Navy will begin the process of allowing sailors to live off-ship following a number of deaths and complaints about conditions aboard the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, including three suicides in the month of April alone.

Most of the ship’s around 2,700 crew already sleep off-ship, with 422 crew living aboard. From Monday, around 260 sailors were eligible to opt-out of living aboard, with an additional 50 beds per week opening up thereafter, a Naval Air Force Atlantic official told ABC News.