Military officials say multiple agencies are continuing their search for a U.S. Marine who went missing during a training exercise in the waters off southern California.
Search crews first launched their efforts early Thursday morning, just after midnight, according to a Navy news release. The Marine was reported missing from the USS Anchorage while the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit were conducting integrated training operations together.
This marks at least the second time in six weeks that the U.S. military has had to mount a search for missing service members. Earlier, in May, the Army confirmed that the remains of two U.S. Army soldiers — who had gone missing during military exercises in Morocco — were recovered, bringing a multinational search to a close. That operation had utilized air assets, naval resources, and artificial intelligence technology.
In a news release this week, the Navy offered its condolences, stating: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and all who are affected during this difficult time.”
By Friday evening, the Navy had shifted from a search-and-rescue operation to a search-and-recovery mission. The missing Marine’s identity is being withheld until the service member’s family has been notified.
So far, the search has covered approximately 2,400 square miles — or about 6,200 square kilometers — and has drawn resources from three surface ships and 12 aircraft belonging to the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force.
The USS Anchorage, an amphibious transport dock ship, is home-ported at Naval Base San Diego.
