Search underway for US sailor missing from USS George Washington in sea north of Australia
The aircraft carrier, and its carrier strike group, are conducting search-and-rescue operations in the sea, after 'reports of a possible sailor overboard' on Monday afternoon, the US Navy said in a statement.
The Australian Defence Force and Australian Border Force are assisting in the search.
The sailor's name or rank, or the circumstances of the incident, has not been disclosed.
The USS George Washington was only returned to sea in 2024 after a major overhaul and upgrade. It is forward-deployed in Japan.
The USS George Washington - and its carrier strike group - are operating in the Timor Sea as part of Talisman Sabre 25 exercises.
Talisman Sabre is a biennial, multinational military exercise led by Australia and the United States. The 2025 iteration involves more than 43,000 military personnel from 19 countries – including India, Indonesia, the UK, and France. Three additional countries – Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam – are observers of the exercises.
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The Timor Sea, a shallow sea of the Indian Ocean, lies northwest of Darwin, between Australia and the island of Timor.
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