A sailor assigned to the U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, USS Lake Erie (CG 70), failed to report for duty at approximately 7 a.m. local time, Aug. 19.

The Navy said in a statement that the ship conducted man overboard procedures while operating in the eastern Pacific Ocean with the John C. Stennis Carrier Group Strike Group (JCS CSG). It added that attempts to locate the Sailor aboard the ship were unsuccessful and the crew of Lake Erie completed multiple extensive searches of the ship.

Ships and helicopters assigned to the JCS CSG and U.S. Coast Guard District 11 are currently conducting search and rescue operations.

The Sailor’s next of kin have been notified, according to the Navy release.

On August 9, a Marine was reported missing by Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, USS Essex (LHD 2) while the ship was conducting routine operations in the Sulu Sea off the Philippine coast. A massive search and rescue effort was conducted by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and Philippine ships and aircraft for the Marine.

The missing marine was later identified as Cpl. Jonathan Currie, a New Hampshire native and a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief. On August 17, Currier who was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN), was declared deceased.

Currier was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and was deployed at the time of his disappearance with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 Reinforced, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), aboard the USS Essex.





