On January 11, 2024, two US Navy SEALs, Christopher Chambers and Nathan Ingram, drowned during a nighttime mission to seize an unflagged ship carrying weapons from Iran to Yemen. The mission aimed to intercept weapons headed to the Iranian-backed Houthis, who have been launching attacks on commercial and US Navy ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began a year ago.

The SEALs, wearing heavy gear, fell into deep waters and quickly sank. The high seas off the coast of Somalia were turbulent, and the team was not prepared for the challenges of staying afloat in such conditions. The investigation revealed that training failures and lack of understanding about emergency flotation devices contributed to the tragedy.

The SEALs were carrying extra weight, making it hard to stay afloat even with their flotation devices. The report highlighted that the team knew the importance of their tactical flotation system but hadn't practiced using it much. The entire incident lasted just 47 seconds, with Chambers and Ingram lost to the sea.

SEALs routinely conduct buddy checks, but in this case, it seems Ingram's flotation equipment may have been incorrectly attached. The mission was within their abilities initially, but the rolling waves increased, leading to Chambers' fall. Ingram jumped in to save him but also struggled to stay afloat.

In response, the Naval Special Warfare Command is making changes to training and guidance. They plan to develop a force-wide policy for water safety, standardize buoyancy requirements, refine man-overboard procedures, and review safety processes.

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Tragedy at Sea: Lessons from a Navy SEAL Mission Gone Wrong

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