San Antonio sailor missing in Gulf of Aden

[unhappycamper]

A sailor fell Wednesday into the Gulf of Aden after he fell off a small boat being lowered from the amphibious transport dock San Antonio, shown above, Navy officials said.


San Antonio sailor missing in Gulf of Aden
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Feb 4, 2009 12:37:26 EST

Navy personnel are searching for a sailor who fell out of a small boat Wednesday as it was being lowered from an amphibious ship in the Gulf of Aden, the Navy said in a release.

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 to the cruiser Vella Gulf. The boat’s tending line became entangled in the crane cable and flipped as it was being lowered, a spokesman said.

“The (search and rescue) efforts are still ongoing,” said Lt. Nathan Christensen, 5th Fleet spokesman in Bahrain.

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 were recovered and the third remained missing 11 hours after the accident. Christensen said all three were wearing life vests and hardhats. San Antonio was moving at the time.

No identities, ranks or ratings have been provided.



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