“The US Navy has ended search and rescue efforts for Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Ian McKnight, assigned to USS Nimitz (CVN 68), who is believed to have gone overboard Sept. 6,” the release read.
The U.S. Navy has ended search and rescue efforts for Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Ian McKnight, assigned to USS Nimitz (CVN 68), who is believed to have gone overboard Sept. 6.
— U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) September 8, 2020
[Courtesy photo of IT2 Ian McKnight] pic.twitter.com/pkAKVrdeEC
“We are deeply saddened as we call off the search for IT2 Ian McKnight,” Capt. Max Clark, commanding officer of the Nimitz, expressed in the release.
US Air Force personnel previously joined members of the US Navy in their search in the North Arabian Sea.
Status Update #3: search continues
— U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) September 8, 2020
“U.S. Navy & Air Force aircraft & ships are continuing search & rescue operations in the North Arabian Sea for the USS Nimitz Sailor who went missing Sept 6.
Our thoughts and prayers are with our missing Sailor, family, friends & shipmates.”
Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, spokesperson for the Bahrain-based US 5th Fleet, told Stars and Stripes earlier this week that officials first conducted a muster and thoroughly searched for McKnight aboard the Nimitz, the oldest active US aircraft carrier, to no avail.
“The ships and aircraft have worked around the clock since the [search and rescue operations] commenced,” she explained, hours before the search was called off.
Her comments to the outlet came approximately 36 hours after a “man overboard” alert was sounded on the Nimitz. Rebarich detailed that both shore-based aircraft and personnel deployed aboard the Nimitz and the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton took part in search and rescue operations.
(2/2) “The Sailor has been listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown on board aircraft carrier USS Nimitz.
— U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) September 6, 2020
The Sailor’s name is being held in accordance with U.S. Navy policy
Updates will be provided as they become available.”
Rebarich highlighted that McKnight has been labeled duty status whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN), because while the reason for his absence is still to be determined, enough evidence has been provided for officials to believe it is not a case of voluntary “unauthorized absence,” which is the Navy equivalent of absent without leave (AWOL).
Navy guidelines provide a commander with up to 10 days to conduct search efforts for a DUSTWUN-labeled sailor. “As a result of that assessment, if the commander concludes that the
Sailor is missing, then and only then, shall the commander recommend that the person be placed in a ‘Missing’ status.”
Even if no remains are recovered, a DUSTWUN-labeled sailor may be listed as deceased if there is enough information to overcome “any reasonable doubt or logical possibility” that they may have survived.
