Photo credit: United States Navy

Tragedy in the Pacific was reported as accurate after the United States of America and the Navy’s Seventh Fleet ended their search for the three missing sailors who crashed near the Japan.

A total of eight of the eleven sailors who were onboard the C2-A propeller cargo plane were recovered.

The plane, which according to the Department of Defense was heading to the USS Ronald Reagan at the time of the accident,<a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/12440-Breaking-Aircraft-Carrying-11-US-Service-Members-headed-to-USS-Ronald-Reagan-Crashes-into-Ocean">crashed into the Philippine Sea</a>on November 22nd.

The Japan-based 7th fleet had initially confirmed that there was an ongoing search and rescue effort to locate the remnants of the aircraft and scour for any signs of life from those who were onboard, before they finally found the initial eight sailors.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with our lost shipmates and their families,” Rear Admiral Marc Dalton said in the statement. “As difficult as this is, we are thankful for the rapid and effective response that led to the rescue of eight of our shipmates, and I appreciate the professionalism and dedication shown by all who participated in the search efforts.”

According to the United States Navy, three sailors who went missing after their plane crashed into the Philippine Sea as Lt. Steven Combs, Aviation Boatswain's Mate Airman Matthew Chialastri, and Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Apprentice Bryan Grosso.

All three are now considered lost at sea, a terrible tragedy for the Seventh Fleet which has had multiple accidents this past year alone which has accounted for the deaths of seventeen total United States sailors.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these Sailors,” Vice Admiral Phil Sawyer, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet, said in a statement. “Their service and sacrifice will be lasting in Seventh Fleet, and we will continue to stand the watch for them, as they did bravely for all of us.”

Seven US Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ships, three helicopter squadrons and maritime patrol aircraft covered nearly 1,000 square nautical miles in the search.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, in hopes to turn around the disastrous year the fleet has suffered under.

“I have been informed from the US military that engine trouble may have caused (the crash),” Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera told reporters on Wednesday, according to the<a href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/11/23/world/asia/search-navy-crash-missing-japan.html"> New York Times</a>.

The C2-A that crashed belongs to a Japan-based squadron that generally flies cargo and passengers between shore bases and the USS Ronald Reagan.

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