Navy SEALS Who Went Missing Are Dead

UPDATE Jan 22, 2024 12:30 AM CST

The two Navy SEALS who went missing off the coast of Somalia while attempting to board a boat during a nighttime raid have been declared dead. "We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing US Navy SEALs have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased," US Central Command said in a Sunday statement cited by CNN. More than 21,000 square miles were covered during the search. "We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs' families, friends, the US Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time," said the US CENTCOM commander in a statement.

Jan 16, 2024 1:23 PM CST

The two Navy SEALs lost in the sea off Somalia on Thursday were swept away while trying to board a boat as part of a nighttime mission that recovered Iranian-made missile warheads intended for Houthi militants in Yemen, according to US Central Command. One SEAL was washed into the Arabian Sea while using a ladder to board the ship in rough waters, while the second jumped in after him, as is protocol. Other SEALs went on to search the dhow, "seizing Iranian-made ballistic missile and cruise missiles components" intended for Houthi militants, who've been blamed for attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea since November, USCENTCOM said Tuesday. It shared photos of the seized items on X.

Neither missing SEAL has been found, though an "exhaustive search" continues, per CBS News. The SEALs had launched from the USS Lewis B. Puller in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat before reaching the dhow in international waters, per NBC News. Visit, board, search and seizure missions are "among the most difficult and dangerous missions undertaken by highly trained troops," who may face "violent waves and hostile crew members," reports the Washington Post. The dhow's crew lacked documentation, allowing the SEALs to perform a search. "Seized items include propulsion, guidance, and warheads for Houthi medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) and anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs), as well as air defense associated components," per the statement.

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The weapons matched those used by Houthi militants to target ships in the Red Sea, USCENTCOM said, adding it was the first US Navy seizure of advanced Iranian-made ballistic components since 2019. The dhow's 14 crew members will be dealt with "in accordance with international law," the statement said. The ship, deemed "unsafe," was sunk. The Houthis have vowed to continue attacking ships connected to Israel and its allies as retaliation for Israel's military operation in Gaza. A missile struck a US-owned merchant ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday without causing serious damage or injuries. Overnight strikes against Houthi targets came in response before a Malta-flagged cargo ship was reportedly struck Tuesday in the Red Sea, per CBS. (More Navy SEALs stories.)