A Navy SEAL died Sunday after a parachuting incident in Arizona, marking the fourth demise associated to the elite program in simply over a 12 months.
Chief Particular Warfare Operator Michael T. Ernst died following a “army freefall coaching accident” on Feb. 19 in Marana, Arizona, and the demise is below investigation, Lt. Cmdr. Kara Handley, a Navy spokeswoman, advised Navy.com in an e mail late Wednesday night.
Two different SEALs have been not too long ago killed in a helicopter touchdown and a fast-roping train. And a sailor who was a candidate in this system’s entrance coaching died final 12 months, elevating questions on medical care.
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Ernst had been within the Navy since 2009 and had been assigned to what the SEALs say is an East Coast particular warfare unit for almost all of his service, data offered by the Navy present. Navy Particular Warfare usually does not present particular unit assignments of particular person sailors.
Rear Adm. Keith Davids, head of Naval Particular Warfare Command, referred to as Ernst “an distinctive teammate … who utilized his abilities and abilities in the direction of a few of our nation’s hardest challenges, whereas selflessly mentoring his teammates.”
“Mike and his household will all the time be a part of the NSW household, and he won’t ever be forgotten,” Davids added in his assertion.
Handley mentioned Ernst was pronounced lifeless at Banner College Medical Middle in close by Tucson at 2:07 p.m. native time Sunday.
The Navy is investigating the reason for the incident, and “it could be inappropriate to remark additional on the continued investigation till full,” Handley mentioned.
In Might 2022, Electronics Technician 1st Class Ryan DeKorte, who was additionally assigned to an East Coast naval particular warfare unit, died following a helicopter touchdown incident at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story simply outdoors of Norfolk, Virginia.
A couple of months earlier, in February 2022, Seaman Kyle Mullen died of pneumonia simply after passing the preliminary part of SEAL coaching. His demise set off a sequence of investigations and articles that revealed the coaching pipeline into the elite unit failed to supply sufficient medical care to recruits and fostered a tradition the place asking for assistance is discouraged.
The Navy additionally confirmed that it is wanting into reviews after Mullen’s demise that this system is rife with performance-enhancing drug use, dishonest and abuse.
Cmdr. Brian Bourgeois, the commanding officer of SEAL Workforce 8, was injured and subsequently died in December 2021 after a fast-rope coaching evolution in Norfolk.
Usually, fast-roping includes personnel sliding down a thick rope from a hovering helicopter.
The Navy has mentioned that all the coaching deaths have been below investigation across the time they occurred however, thus far, none of these reviews has been launched.
— Konstantin Toropin may be reached at konstantin.toropin@army.com. Comply with him on Twitter @ktoropin.
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