The details of a botched raid by the US Navy SEALs on a Houthi vessel earlier this year that resulted in the death of two commandos have finally been revealed as a scathing report documents multiple failures that contributed to the mishap.
“This incident, marked by systemic issues, was preventable," said Vice Adm. George M. Wikoff of the “complex boarding” operation that attempted to halt a shipment of arms to Houthi fighters in Yemen.
The incident occurred off the coast of Somalia earlier this year as the United States struggles to respond to the armed group’s blockade of the Red Sea in response to Israel’s ongoing military operation in the Gaza strip.
The SEALs were attempting to uphold the United States’ own blockade against equipment being shipped to the armed resistance group when they tried to board the vessel during a nighttime operation in January. The two SEALs – one of them carrying equipment weighing 48 pounds and the other carrying gear weighing 80 pounds – drowned under the weight of their equipment as their floatation devices seemingly failed to deploy.
Chief Special Warfare Operator Christopher Chambers slipped while attempting to grab the railing on the ship and was pulled under by a wave after falling nine feet into the ocean below. Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Nathan Gage Ingram, saddled with the heavier gear, jumped in to attempt to help Chambers but also drowned, according to the report.
“Observing his teammate struggling, [Ingram] jumped into the water to render [Chambers] assistance,” according to the Navy’s report on the incident. “Encumbered by the weight of each individual's gear, neither their physical capability nor emergency supplemental flotation devices, if activated, were sufficient to keep them at the surface.”
The Navy attempted to locate the servicemembers but declared them dead after a 10-day search.
“There is no doubt the act of boarding a… vessel is dangerous and can elevate in risk depending on the factors of the mission,” the report read. “Deficiencies, gaps and inconsistencies in doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures created missed opportunities for safeguards that could have decreased the likelihood for this incident.”
The two men’s teammates were able to board the ship and seize parts and weaponry headed towards Yemen, but the US has been ultimately unsuccessful in halting the Houthis’ blockade, which has resulted in significant economic damage to Israel. In July the Israeli port of Eilat declared bankruptcy after enduring eight months of siege. Houthi attacks caused an 85% decline in shipping traffic, it was reported at the time.
Various sectors including tourism, real estate, construction, and information technology have faced steep economic decline amid the fallout of a year of Israeli fighting. The country has increasingly coped with a brain drain as hundreds of thousands of reservists are called into action while some half a million Israelis have reportedly fled the country.
The US Navy’s revelation comes amid a string of embarrassing incidents for the service over the past months. Earlier this year the Navy was roundly mocked online after a photo was posted to Instagram of a commander brandishing a rifle with a backwards-mounted scope. In September more that a dozen navy chiefs and senior chiefs were disciplined after conspiring to install an unauthorized Wi-Fi system on a littoral combat ship – a serious security risk.
The US military has faced a broader crisis as it repeatedly fails to achieve yearly recruitment targets. The consistent shortages in manpower have led to several positions remaining understaffed as servicemembers endure extended tours of duty. The Army seemingly acknowledged the crisis as it began a major restructuring earlier this year that called for the size of the force to be slashed by some 5%, or 24,000 personnel.