A 21-year-old Marine who went overboard from USS Iwo Jima was declared dead following an extensive search in the Caribbean Sea, the Marine Corps announced Thursday.
Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, fell into the water on Saturday while assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines out of Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The Iwo Jima, an amphibious assault ship, played a central role in President Donald Trump'sOperation Southern Spearmilitary buildup in the Caribbean ahead of the raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to the Iwo Jima after their capture before being taken to the United States.
2 US Navy ships collide in Caribbean, minor injuries reported
Advertisement
Oforah's death is the first U.S. military death associated with Operation Southern Spear, Trump's military operation in the Caribbean.
"We are all grieving alongside the Oforah family," Col. Tom Trimble, commander of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, said in a statement. "The loss of Lance Cpl. Oforah is deeply felt across the entire Navy-Marine Corps team. He will be profoundly missed, and his dedicated service will not be forgotten."
It's unclear what caused the incident, which is under investigation. The three-day-long sprawling search and rescue operation involved numerous large ships, aircraft, drones and personnel, according to the Marine Corps, including Navy MH-60 Sierras, two MH-60 Romeos, one Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper, and one UH-1Y Venom; one Navy P-8 Poseidon; two U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King IIs, and one U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper.
Oforah joined the Marine Corps in October 2023 and graduated from boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, in February 2024.
ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.
