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A tragic incident involving a U.S. Marine who disappeared while at sea in the Caribbean has resulted in a declaration of death, officials announced on Thursday.
The Marine Corps identified the lost service member as 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah from Florida. He was declared deceased on Tuesday, three days after reportedly going overboard from the USS Iwo Jima. This conclusion came after an exhaustive 72-hour search and rescue mission.
An intensive search for the Marine who fell overboard from the USS Iwo Jima in the Caribbean has ended in tragedy, as he was pronounced dead after several days of searching.
“Our hearts are with the Oforah family during this devastating time,” stated Col. Tom Trimble, who commands the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. “The impact of Lance Cpl. Oforah’s loss is deeply felt throughout the Navy-Marine Corps community. His absence will be profoundly felt, but his commitment and service will always be remembered.”
The search operation spanned 72 hours and involved a coordinated effort utilizing five U.S. Navy ships, a rigid-hull inflatable boat, and ten aircraft coming from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
The USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), sits at the dock, on a cold winter morning. (Getty Images)
Oforah was an infantry rifleman. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in Oct. 2023 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, in Feb. 2024.Â
He completed the USMC’s School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
At the time of his death, he was deployed with Battalion Landing Team 3/6, 22nd MEU aboard the USS Iwo Jima.
A U.S. Marines patch is shown on a uniform at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on September 26, 2025, in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation.Â