Two major incidents occurred during the U.S. military's massive buildup in the Caribbean: a Marine died after falling overboard from the USS Iwo Jima, and two Navy ships, the USS Truxtun and USNS Supply, collided, resulting in minor injuries to two sailors.
The U.S. military on Thursday reported two significant incidents linked to its substantial force buildup in the Caribbean Sea. Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, of Florida, fell from the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship and was declared dead after an extensive 72-hour search and rescue operation involving multiple Navy ships, aircraft, and a drone. This marks the first publicly announced death of a service member during the U.S. military operation in the region, which has seen the largest military presence in generations, conducting operations against alleged drug boats, sanctioned oil tankers, and a raid targeting Venezuela’s then-president. Separately, the destroyer USS Truxtun and the supply ship USNS Supply collided as the warship was approaching to receive supplies. The collision occurred while the supply ship was also refueling the cruiser USS Gettysburg. Two personnel reported minor injuries and are in stable condition, with both ships now sailing safely. The USS Truxtun had previously returned to port for 'emergent equipment repair' before setting sail for the Caribbean. The naval presence in the Caribbean currently includes 12 ships, such as the USS Gerald R. Ford and the USS Iwo Jima, carrying thousands of Marines. Warship collisions are rare, with a past incident involving the USS Harry S. Truman in 2025 (as stated in the article) attributed to unsafe speed.
