Search for San Antonio sailor called off

A rigid hull inflatable boat departs the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio earlier this month. The Navy announced Feb. 5 that the search for a missing sailor from San Antonio had been called off.


Search for San Antonio sailor called off
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Feb 5, 2009 17:04:58 EST

Sailors searched for 24 hours for a shipmate who fell out of a small boat Wednesday as it was being lowered from an amphibious ship in the Gulf of Aden.

“Sadly and tragically, the sailor was not found,” said Lt. Nathan Christensen, 5th Fleet spokesman in Bahrain.

The sailor, assigned to the amphibious transport dock San Antonio, was in the small boat as it was being lowered in preparation for a personnel transfer with the cruiser Vella Gulf. The boat’s tending line became entangled in the crane cable and flipped as it was being lowered, Christensen said.

The accident occurred at 8 a.m. in sunny, clear weather with calm seas. Three sailors fell into the water when the boat flipped, Christensen said. Two boat crewmen were recovered and all three were wearing life vests and hardhats, Christensen said. San Antonio was moving at the time.

No identities, ranks or ratings have been released.


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/02/navy_rhibmishap_020409/%2e