CNN —
US Central Command has confirmed that the two US Navy SEALs who vanished off the coast of Somalia on January 11 have passed away, following a ten-day search.
Central Command released a statement on Sunday saying, “We regret to inform you that, following a thorough 10-day search, the status of our two missing U.S. Navy SEALs has been changed to deceased and they have not been located.” “At this time, no further information will be released out of respect for the families.”
In an effort to find the two missing SEALs, teams from the US, Japan, and Spain combed over 21,000 square miles, according to CENTCOM. Eight-foot seas caused one of the two sailors to fall into the water while they were boarding a vessel to hunt for illicit Iranian weaponry. Following protocol, the second sailor dove in after them, as CNN previously reported.
We will always remember the dedication and leadership of our two Naval Special Warfare soldiers, and we grieve their passing. The US CENTCOM commander, Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, stated, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this difficult time.
The families of our two courageous Navy SEALs are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement on Sunday. “Today, the entire Department is grieving together. We appreciate everyone’s persistent efforts in trying to locate and save them.
In order to counter the threat posed by the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab, which has attacked the Somali government, the US has a modest military presence in Somalia. Al-Shabaab is regarded by the US as a terrorist group.
The US has worked with the Somali government to launch strikes against al-Shabaab in addition to training Somali soldiers.
Al-Shabaab is the biggest and most kinetically active al-Qaeda network in the world, and it has demonstrated the willingness and ability to strike American forces and endanger American security interests, according to US Africa Command.
Further details have been added to this story.
