US Marine lost at sea in Caribbean
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The USS Iwo Jima docked at the port of Ponce, Puerto Rico, on Jan 15.
PHOTO: AFP
- US Marine Lance Corporal Chukwuemeka Oforah, 21, fell from USS Iwo Jima on Feb 7 and was declared deceased after a 72-hour search.
- USS Truxton and USNS Supply collided on Feb 11 during replenishment at sea; two personnel sustained minor injuries.
- Both the Marine's death and the ship collision incidents are currently under investigation by US military authorities.
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WASHINGTON - A US Marine assigned to a warship operating in the Caribbean fell overboard and has been declared dead, while two American personnel were injured in a collision between two other ships, the US military said on Feb 12.
Washington has deployed a huge naval force in the Caribbean, but US casualties during its operations in the region have been rare.
The operations have included strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats, the seizure of oil tankers and a stunning raid to capture Venezuela’s leftist leader
The Marine – 21-year-old Lance Corporal Chukwuemeka Oforah – reportedly fell from the USS Iwo Jima on Feb 7 and was declared deceased following “an extensive, around-the-clock 72-hour search-and-rescue operation,” the Marine Corps said in a statement.
In a separate incident, the USS Truxton and USNS Supply collided
“Two personnel reported minor injuries and are in stable condition. Both ships have reported sailing safely. The incident is currently under investigation,” SOUTHCOM added. AFP
