A 21-year-old Nigerian-American Marine has been declared deceased following a tragic incident where he fell overboard from a U.S. warship during active operations in the Caribbean.
Lance Cpl Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, a Florida native and infantry rifleman, went over the side of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima on the evening of February 7, 2026. After an exhaustive 72-hour search-and-rescue operation that failed to locate him, military officials officially pronounced him dead on February 10, 2026.
The II Marine Expeditionary Force confirmed that the search was a massive, multi-branch effort covering a vast expanse of the Caribbean Sea. The operation involved five U.S. Navy ships, surface rescue swimmer teams, and ten aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, including a P-8 Poseidon surveillance plane and an Air Force Reaper drone.
The loss of Oforah marks a sombre milestone for the U.S. military, as he is believed to be the first American service member fatality linked to "Operation Southern Spear". This mission, directed by the current administration, focuses on high-stakes maritime security and targeting transnational drug-trafficking threats in the region.
Col. Tom Trimble, commanding officer of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), expressed the profound grief felt by the unit following the conclusion of the search.
“We are all grieving alongside the Oforah family,” Col. Trimble said in an official statement released by the II Marine Expeditionary Force. “The loss of Lance Cpl. Oforah is deeply felt across the entire Navy-Marine Corps team. He will be profoundly missed, and his dedicated service will not be forgotten.”
Oforah’s journey in the military began in October 2023 when he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island in February 2024 and completed advanced training at the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. At the time of his death, he was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, also known as "The Teufelhunden".
The USS Iwo Jima, the vessel from which Oforah fell, has been central to recent high-profile military actions in the Caribbean. It recently served as the primary landing platform for the transport of captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro into U.S. custody earlier this year.
Military authorities have not yet released specific details regarding the circumstances that led to Oforah falling overboard. The incident is currently the subject of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Southern Command to determine the cause of the accident and whether safety protocols were followed during the nighttime operations.
While the search for Oforah has concluded, the USS Iwo Jima remains on station in the Caribbean. The tragedy occurred amid a period of high naval activity in the region, which also saw a separate non-fatal collision between the USS Truxtun and the USNS Supply during a replenishment-at-sea manoeuvre earlier this week.