The U.S. military reported two significant incidents during its large-scale operation in the Caribbean Sea: a 21-year-old Marine died after falling overboard from the USS Iwo Jima, and two Navy ships, the USS Truxtun and USNS Supply, collided during a refueling operation, leaving two sailors with minor injuries. Both events occurred amidst the largest U.S. military presence in the region in generations.
The U.S. military disclosed two major incidents tied to its extensive force buildup in the Caribbean Sea. Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, fell from the USS Iwo Jima amphibious assault ship on Saturday and was declared dead on Tuesday after a 72-hour search and rescue operation involving five Navy ships, 10 aircraft, and an Air Force Reaper drone. This marks the first publicly announced death during the operation, which was initiated by the Trump administration and has involved strikes on alleged drug boats, seizure of sanctioned oil tankers, and a raid targeting Nicolás Maduro. Additionally, on Thursday, the destroyer USS Truxtun and the supply ship USNS Supply collided while the Truxtun was approaching to receive supplies. The collision occurred as the supply ship was simultaneously refueling the cruiser USS Gettysburg. Two personnel sustained minor injuries but are in stable condition, and both ships are now sailing safely. The USS Truxtun had previously returned to port for emergent repairs before deploying. The naval presence in the Caribbean includes 12 ships, such as the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, the USS Iwo Jima, and two other amphibious assault ships carrying thousands of Marines. Collisions involving warships are rare; the Navy's most recent prior collision was in February 2025 (likely a typo in the original article and meant to be 2015 or earlier) when the USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant vessel, attributed to the carrier's high speed and the officer's insufficient action.
