Washington.- The United States armed forces announced this Thursday the death of the first corporal Chukwuemeka E. Oforah21, after falling overboard from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima during operations in the Caribbean Sea.
Extensive search and declaration of death
The fall of Oforah was reported on the night of February 7while the USS Iwo Jima was operating in the region, according to an official statement from the II Marine Expeditionary Force. After an exhaustive search and rescue operation 72 hourswhich included five Navy ships and ten aircraft of the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, the soldier was declared dead on February 10.
The search operation covered a wide area of the Caribbean Sea with surface vessels, Iwo Jima rescue teams and aircraft such as helicopters and maritime patrol planes without being able to locate the Marine.
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Message from the authorities and service data
In the statement, Colonel Tom Trimblecommander of the unit to which Oforah belonged, said that “The loss of the corporal is deeply felt by the entire team and his dedication to service will not be forgotten”and extended condolences to the family.
Oforah, originally from Florida, had entered the Marine Corps in October 2023, graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and completed the infantry school at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) at the time of the incident.
Operations in the region and context
Military authorities indicated that the exact circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
The corporal’s death occurs amid a significant US naval presence in the Caribbean, where US forces have intensified operations in recent months.
Relevance of the case
The Oforah case represents one of the few publicly reported casualties during US naval operations in the region since the military presence increased in August 2025.
