The US Navy has announced the identities of the two Navy SEALs who were declared dead after going missing during an operation off the coast of Somalia on January 11. The individuals have been identified as Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher Chambers, aged 37, and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram, aged 27.
Capt. Blake Chaney, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, expressed his deep condolences, stating that Chambers and Ingram were highly skilled soldiers, valued members of the team, and held close friendships with many.
According to Chaney, Chris and Gage demonstrated remarkable professionalism and capabilities while serving their country. “The loss is truly heartbreaking for NSW, our families, the special operations community, and the entire nation.”
The two individuals were both part of a Naval Special Warfare unit stationed on the West Coast of the US. They were reported missing at sea during a night-time operation to intercept illegal transportation of dangerous weapons from Iran to Yemen. Ballistic and cruise missile components were seized, according to an announcement by US Central Command.
According to a previous report by CNN, the SEALs were in the process of boarding a vessel when one of them accidentally fell into the water. The second SEAL followed the protocol and jumped in after them, despite the challenging conditions caused by eight-foot swells. According to a previous statement by a US official, in the event of a fall during a boarding operation, it is important to assume that the person is incapacitated and take immediate action to rescue them.
As per biographies provided by Naval Special Warfare Command, Chambers, hailing from Maryland, joined the Navy in May 2012 and has been serving with SEAL units on the West Coast since 2014. He received multiple awards and decorations throughout his career, including four Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, one of which was earned with the Combat Action Ribbon, as well as the Army Achievement Medal.
Ingram, hailing from Texas, joined the military in September 2019. Following his boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois, he swiftly embarked on pre-special warfare training. He successfully finished SEAL qualification training in 2021. He received various awards and decorations during his service, including the Navy “E” Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal.
CENTCOM announced on Sunday that, following an extensive search, the status of the two SEALs has been changed to deceased. The search and rescue efforts have now transitioned to search and recovery.
Throughout the extensive search operation, various airborne and naval platforms from the US, Japan, and Spain tirelessly scoured over 21,000 square miles in their efforts to find our missing teammates. Assistance in the search was also given by various organizations, including Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, University of San Diego – Scripts Institute of Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Research – Oceanographic Support,” according to a release from CENTCOM. “Due to the sensitivity of the situation, no additional details will be provided at this moment, as a gesture of respect towards the affected families.”
