Three Teenagers Among Victims of Deadly Marine Training Accident
SO YOUNG
The U.S. military has identified the nine people who were either killed or went missing and are now presumed dead after an amphibious assault vehicle training accident off Southern California last week. The AAV started taking on water late afternoon last Thursday during shore-to-ship operations. Five of the crew were rescued, but at least one died and eight others are now presumed dead, according to a statement from the military. Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, was pronounced dead at the scene. The eight presumed dead are: Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19; Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21; Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19; U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22; Pfc. Jack Ryan Ostrovsky, 21; Cpl. Wesley A. Rodd, 23; Lance Cpl. Chase D. Sweetwood, 19; and Cpl. Cesar A. Villanueva, 21. The search operation ended late Saturday night after 40 hours. The AAV is believed to have sunk hundreds of feet down to the ocean floor.