San Diego
A San Diego sailor was lost overboard Tuesday from the Navy frigate Downes off Japan, and military sea and air rescue ships have been unable to find him, a Navy spokesman said Wednesday.
The sailor, identified as Petty Officer 3rd Class David M. Yanders, fell overboard about 4 p.m. Tuesday (San Diego time) when the frigate was 300 miles southwest of Tokyo.
A second sailor, Petty Officer 2nd Class David M. Bowman, also of San Diego, also fell overboard, but officials said he was quickly rescued by his shipmates. He suffered minor cuts and bruises and was taken to the amphibious assault ship Tarawa for medical treatment.
Cmdr. Matt Dillon, a Navy spokesman in San Diego, said Wednesday night that rescue crews were still attempting to locate Yanders. But he said they were hampered by rough seas and stormy weather, which apparently played a part in the sailors’ falling into the sea.
“The weather there was pretty bad,” Dillon said. “There were storms in the area and limited visibility, which also is affecting the search.”
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