NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Navy is taking action after a rash of crew deaths on one ship, including three apparent suicides within a week.
The service is offering temporary housing for sailors currently living on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington as it undergoes repairs at Newport News Shipbuilding.
United States Fleet Forces Command confirmed that the Navy is prepared, starting Monday, to move up to 260 sailors to the Navy Gateway Inn and Suites at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth. That's if they so choose.
Naval Air Force Atlantic told 13News Now that by moving, sailors will be closer to Morale, Welfare and Recreations opportunities as well as mental health services.
The decision comes after seven service members assigned to the ship have died in the past year.
Three of those deaths took place within a week of each other in April, and they are suspected of having been suicides.
RELATED: After deaths of 7 service members assigned to USS George Washington, Rep. Luria wants answers
Sailor Xavier Hunter Sandor was found unresponsive on the ship with a believed self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 15.
His parents told ABC News that their son found conditions on the ship unpleasant.
"This can't happen to any other sailors. It's not fair," said John Sandor, Xavier's father.
Sailor Mika'il Rayshawn Sharp was one of the other crew members who died. His parents also spoke to ABC.
"It's tragic, we lost our son," said Lamonte Sharp, Mika'il's father. "You can't bring him back, and there's nothing you can do about it. But, at the same time, you want some kind of clarity to see what happened."
The ship has been undergoing a major overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding since 2017.
The job is said to be 92% complete, but it's one year behind schedule.
The Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Virginia, 2nd District), announced late Monday that she will tour the George Washington on Tuesday "to hear directly from sailors aboard and speak with them about their concerns after seven sailors assigned to the ship have died in the past year."
Last week, in an interview with 13News Now, Luria said: "This is just tragic. I really have big concerns that there's something bigger going o within this command. I really want to make sure the CNO (Chief of Naval Operation), the Navy, is doing a full investigation."