Overview

• The search for Airman Jose Antonio Rivera Lynch IV spanned more than 45 hours and covered roughly 2,200 square miles of the Timor Sea before suspension on July 30.
• U.S. Navy and Australian Defence Force assets, including HSC-12 helicopters, P-8 Poseidon aircraft and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, participated in coordinated search efforts.
• The Navy publicly identified the missing sailor on July 31 and has informed his next-of-kin that he is presumed lost at sea.
• His family described the 19-year-old as a proud, vibrant young sailor who eagerly embraced his first assignment aboard the USS George Washington.
• Capt. Tim Waits and Rear Adm. Eric Anduze expressed their deepest sympathies and commended the dedication of all personnel involved in the operation.