What happened to two Navy SEALs who went missing off the coast of Somalia? Incident explored as search intensifies

Two U.S. Navy SEALs went missing off the coast of Somalia during a nighttime boarding mission in the Gulf of Aden. On Thursday, while preparing for a daring night-time boarding mission in the tumultuous waters of the Gulf of Aden, Navy SEALs encountered rough seas as they readied to board a ship off Somalia's coast.

One of them reportedly fell into the ocean during a ship-boarding attempt and the other jumped in to help them. Central Command initiated a search-and-rescue operation in an attempt to locate the two sailors.

The specific details concerning their operation remain undisclosed due to its sensitive nature.

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Two Navy SEALs missing after one falls from ladder and the other jumps into the sea to help them

Anonymous sources familiar with the matter spoke to the Associated Press and disclosed that one of the Navy SEALs slipped from a ladder during the boarding preparations, leading to them falling into the ocean.

The first SEAL was swept into the sea by powerful waves and the second SEAL promptly jumped into the water to help them, as per protocol. A U.S. official shed light on Navy SEAL protocol, highlighting that it is standard procedure to leap into the water and rescue a fellow SEAL if they fall overboard, as per ABC News.

The two operators mysteriously disappeared underwater and their identities are yet to be revealed. Further information on the Navy SEALs' vessel and operation has also not been disclosed as of this writing.

Officials told AP that the incident is not related to Operation Prosperity Guardian, which is a coalition between the United States and its allies to safeguard commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

U.S. forces actively and routinely engage in counter-piracy efforts with their international partners in the Gulf of Aden. These pursuits may require them to board vessels, which is done to confirm credentials and ensure the absence of illicit materials.

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U.S. Central Command's statement about missing U.S. Navy SEALs amidst ongoing search

The statement released by the U.S. Central Command on Friday addressed the incident. It shed light on the incident that occurred on the evening of January 11 and stated that two U.S. Navy Sailors were reported missing at sea during operations in the region.

"On the evening of January 11, two U.S. Navy Sailors were reported missing at sea while conducting operations off the coast of Somalia. Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing to locate the two sailors," the statement read as per USNI News.

The statement did not provide details on the nature of the operation, citing security concerns. It also informed that additional details would be withheld until the completion of the personnel recovery operation.

"For operational security purposes, we will not release additional information until the personnel recovery operation is complete. Out of respect for the families affected, we will not release further information on the missing personnel at this time," the statement continued.

While the statement by the U.S. Central Command did not specify the operation that the missing sailors were involved in, they mentioned that they were forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations, supporting a wide variety of missions.

The U.S. Central Command is in charge of regional military operations and is involved in the ongoing search and rescue mission.