FLORIDA — A 21-year-old Marine from Florida was pronounced dead on February 10, 2026, after falling overboard during operations in the Caribbean.
Lance Cpl. Chukwuemeka E. Oforah was reported missing from the USS Iwo Jima on the evening of Feb. 7.
The declaration followed an around-the-clock, 72-hour search-and-rescue operation. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted the multi-branch search alongside other U.S. military units.
The multi-branch effort covered an extensive search area and involved five U.S. Navy ships.
The search also involved 10 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force that logged hundreds of flight hours.
Col. Tom Trimble, commanding officer of the 22nd MEU (SOC), stated that the loss is being felt throughout the service. “We are all grieving alongside the Oforah family,” Trimble said. “The loss of Lance Cpl. Oforah is deeply felt across the entire Navy-Marine Corps team. He will be profoundly missed and his dedicated service will not be forgotten.”
Oforah served as an infantry rifleman with the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2023 and completed training at Parris Island in February 2024.
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