Navy Investigating After 3 Sailors Die On Same Ship Within A Week

Three U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the USS George Washington aircraft carrier have died within a week. The causes of their deaths remain under investigation, but the Navy said in a statement to CBS News that there is no initial indication to suggest there is a correlation between the three deaths. 

One sailor, whose name has not yet been released, died on board the ship on April 15. The sailor was found unresponsive and treated by the medical team on board before being transported to Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Virginia, where they died. 

Two other sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier were found dead on April 9 and April 10 at separate offsite locations. The Navy has identified these two sailors as Retail Services Specialist 3rd Class Mikail Sharp and Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Natasha Huffman. 

The Navy is cooperating with NCIS and local authorities in investigations of the three incidents. 

The USS George Washington aircraft carrier has been docked since 2017 at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, undergoing a refueling and complex overhaul. 

There are chaplains, psychologists, and counselors available to the rest of the crew of the USS George Washington to support them following the deaths of three of the crew members, the Navy said. 

First published on April 19, 2022 / 2:56 PM

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