Marine ‘Presumed Lost At Sea’: The Military Operations Against ISIS Claims First U.S. Casualty
The U.S. Navy has announced that the search and rescue operation effort for a U.S. Marine has been called off on Thursday after an aircraft suffered technical problems. This marks the first reported casualty from the ongoing U. S.-led military operation against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey aircraft took off with four crew members from the USS Makin Island on Wednesday afternoon (local time) before suffering a loss of power. The Marine, whose identity will be withheld for 24 hours after his family is notified, ejected from the MV-22B Osprey when the aircraft encountered difficulties. Another crew member also exited the aircraft, though he has since been rescued and is in stable condition.
The pilot regained control of the aircraft and landed it safely on the USS Makin Island.
“U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel conducted an extensive search of the area using all available assets, which continued throughout the night and the next day.”
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command stated that the search operation in the North Persian Gulf concluded at 15:00 GMT on Thursday after efforts to locate the missing service member were unsuccessful.
The Makin Island is part of the Camp Pendleton-based 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit now deployed to the U.S. Central Command area in support of U.S. operations in Iraq and Syria.
Recently, The Inquisitr reported that an Army intelligence bulletin is warning U.S. military personnel to “be vigilant” after Islamic State militants called on supporters to scour social media for the addresses of their family members.
“Given the continued rhetoric being issued by ISIL’s media services and supporters through various social media platforms the ARTIC is concerned of the possibility of an attack. Soldiers, Government Civilians and Family Members are reminded to be vigilant of their surroundings and report suspicious activities to their respective military or local law enforcement.”
U.S. military forces have carried out up to 250 airstrikes on the Islamic State (ISIS) since early August. In a report by the Washington Post, defense analysts estimate the three-month cost for U.S. led airstrike’s is close to $1 billion. The total cost could rise to as much as $1.8 billion a month if the U.S. military presence grows to 25,000 ground troops.
The U.S.-led military operation against ISIS involves a coalition of many Arab countries such as Bahrain, Turkey, and Qatar, along with major global powers such as Britain, France, and Australia.
[Image via U.S. Marine Corps]
