Two U.S. Navy SEALs who went missing earlier this month in the Gulf of Aden are now presumed dead.
“We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement released Jan. 21.
The two Navy SEALs were reported missing on Jan. 11 during the boarding of an illicit dhow carrying Iranian advanced conventional weapons. USCENTCOM said it is now conducting recovery operations.
“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example,” said USCENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla. “Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time.”
The U.S. Navy has conducted regular interdiction missions in the region, also intercepting weapons on ships that were bound for Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, according to the Associated Press.
During the search operation, airborne and naval platforms from the U.S., Japan, and Spain searched more than 21,000 square miles to locate the missing SEALs. Search assistance was also provided by Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, University of San Diego – Scripts Institute of Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Research – Oceanographic Support.
“Out of respect for the families, no further information will be released at this time," USCENTCOM said.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
