WASHINGTON — The U.S. military on Thursday reported two major incidents that occurred in recent days tied to the massive buildup of forces in the Caribbean Sea — a Marine who died after falling overboard and a collision between two Navy ships that left two sailors with minor injuries.
A report was made Saturday that Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, of Florida, had fallen from the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship, the Marine Corps said in a press release. The military used five Navy ships, 10 aircraft and an Air Force Reaper drone in ''an extensive, around-the-clock 72-hour search and rescue operation,'' the release said, but he was declared dead Tuesday.
It appears to be the first publicly announced death of a service member during the U.S. military operation in the region. The Trump administration built up the largest military presence in the region in generations before carrying out a series of deadly strikes on alleged drug boats since September, seizing sanctioned oil tankers and conducting a surprise raid last month that captured Venezuela's then-president, Nicolás Maduro.
Also Thursday, U.S. Southern Command announced that the destroyer USS Truxtun and the supply ship USNS Supply collided as the warship was getting a new load of supplies. The maneuver typically has the vessels sailing parallel, usually within hundreds of feet, while fuel and supplies are transferred across the gap via hoses and cables.
The collision occurred when the supply ship was refueling the cruiser USS Gettysburg on one side and the Truxtun approached from the other side, according to a U.S. official familiar with the collision, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a mishap that is under investigation.
Southern Command said two personnel reported minor injuries and that both were in stable condition. The two ships now are sailing safely, the military statement said.
The USS Truxtun left its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, on Feb. 3. The destroyer had to return to port for several days to conduct ''an emergent equipment repair'' and it ultimately set sail for the Caribbean on Feb. 6, according to a Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operational details.
In the Caribbean, the naval presence alone stands at 12 ships, including the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, as well as the Iwo Jima and two other amphibious assault ships, which are carrying thousands of Marines.
