Navy searching for Marine who went missing off the California coast

The Navy is searching for a Marine who went missing off of the USS Anchorage on Thursday, the service said late Saturday evening.

After initially conducting search and rescue operations, the Navy is now doing search and recovery operations after nearly two days of searching, the Navy’s 3rd Fleet said. The Marine went missing earlier this week while on the amphibious transport dock the USS Anchorage during a training exercise between the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group off of the coast of Southern California.

The Navy did not identify the missing Marine, citing military policy to withhold their identity until 24 hours after the next of kin is notified.

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The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group began searching for the service member at 1:21 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday once the Marine was reported missing.

A combined search and rescue force from the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force spent 43 hours looking for the lost Marine. During that time three surface ships and 12 aircraft searched roughly 2,400 square miles, the Navy said. It’s not clear how far out at sea the USS Anchorage was when the Marine vanished.

The Anchorage, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, regularly deploys as part of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, comprises roughly 2,200 personnel.