San Diego
The two-day search for a San Diego sailor who fell overboard from the Navy frigate Downes into rough seas near Japan was called off early Thursday morning, a spokesman from the Navy said.
Petty Officer 3rd Class David M. Yanders, 24, who was lost Tuesday from the deck of the San Diego-based ship operating 300 miles southwest of Tokyo, was pronounced “missing and presumed lost,” according to San Diego Navy spokesman Cmdr. David Dillon.
Navy ships and aircraft searched the area for 32 hours before abandoning efforts, he said. The search and Yanders’ chances of survival were hampered by rough seas and poor visibility, Dillon said.
Another crewman, Petty Officer 2nd Class David M. Bowman, also of San Diego, fell overboard at the same time as Yanders. Bowman, however, was rescued immediately after entering the water. He suffered minor cuts and bruises, Cmdr. Dillon said.
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