The United States Army reported two major incidents that occurred in recent days related to the massive concentration of forces in the Caribbean Sea: a Marine died after falling overboard and a collision between two Navy ships left two soldiers with minor injuries.
First modification: 02/13/2026 - 18:36Last modification: 02/13/2026 - 18:41
As reported by the Marine Corps in a press release, a report was made on February 7 that Corporal Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, 21, a resident of Florida, fell from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima.
The Army used five Navy ships, ten aircraft and an Air Force Reaper drone in "an extensive search and rescue operation that lasted 72 hours," the official note states, but he was declared dead on Tuesday, February 10.
This would be the first publicly announced death of a military member during the US operation in the Caribbean. Donald Trump's government established the largest military presence in the region in generations before carrying out a series of deadly attacks against suspected drug boats, starting in September 2025.
These actions were followed by the capture of sanctioned oil tankers and the surprise attacks on Venezuelan soil, on January 3, which ended with the arrest of the then president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro.
Collision of two US ships in the Caribbean
On Thursday, February 12, US Southern Command announced that the destroyer USS Truxtun and the supply ship USNS Supply collided while the warship was receiving a new load of supplies. The maneuver typically involves vessels sailing in parallel, usually hundreds of feet apart, while fuel and supplies are transferred across the gap using hoses and cables.
The Southern Command reported that two personnel reported minor injuries and that both were in stable condition. The two ships are now sailing without problems, according to the military statement.
The USS Truxtun departed its home port in Norfolk, Virginia, on February 3. The destroyer had to return to port for several days for urgent equipment repairs and finally set sail for the Caribbean on Feb. 6, according to a Navy official, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operational details.
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In the Caribbean, the naval presence totals 12 ships, including the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, as well as the Iwo Jima and two other amphibious assault ships, carrying thousands of Marines.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report the collision, something unusual for warships. The Navy's most recent collision occurred in February 2025, when the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman collided with a merchant ship just outside the Suez Canal, near Port Said, Egypt. This caused minor damage to the Truman, but no injuries were reported.
An investigation published last December revealed that because the aircraft carrier was running late, the officer in charge drove it at a dangerously high speed.
When a merchant ship headed toward a collision course with the aircraft carrier, the officer in charge did not take the necessary steps to move away from danger, and the ship was traveling so fast that it would have taken nearly a mile and a half to stop after turning off its engines, according to the report.
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