https://abcnews.go.com/International/missing-navy-seals-now-presumed-dead-after-water/story
Missing Navy SEALs now presumed dead after going into the water on night mission
U.S. military has ended an "exhaustive" 10-day search and rescue mission for two Navy SEALs who went missing on Jan. 11 in the waters of the Gulf of Aden and are now presumed deceased, according to a new statement from U.S. Central Command.
The military is conducting recovery operations for the service members, CENTCOM said Sunday night.
"We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs' families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time," Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM's commander, said in the statement.
Military officials said that the U.S., Japan and Spain used air and naval resources and "searched more than 21,000 square miles" for the missing SEALs, scouring the gulf off the coast of Somalia – to no avail.
"Out of respect for the families, no further information will be released at this time," CENTCOM said.
The two SEALs went into water in mid-January during a nighttime boarding mission to interdict a dhow suspected of carrying Iranian-made weapons for Houthi militants in Yemen, military officials have said.
Dhows are small fishing or cargo vessels that are sometimes used by Iran to smuggle weapons.
As a small Navy craft approached the dhow on Jan. 11, one of the SEALs fell into rough waters and, following protocol, a second SEAL dove into the water in a rescue attempt, according to officials.
The rest of the SEALs continued with the mission on the dhow and seized Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missile parts and warheads similar to those being used by the Houthis in more than 30 attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, officials said.
The Houthis have said their attacks are in response to Israel's bombardment of Gaza as the Israelis target Hamas fighters as retaliation for Hamas' Oct. 7 terror attack.