Navy calls off search for missing sailor assigned to USS George Washington near Australia

The U.S. Navy has called off a search for a sailor assigned to the USS George Washington amid reports that he possibly went overboard while the ship was sailing north of Australia. 

The sailor was reported overboard on the aircraft carrier on Monday as the ship was transiting the Timor Sea, the Navy said. 

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The search effort involving the George Washington, its carrier strike group, as well as the Australian Defence (sic) Force and Australian Border Force, concluded at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. 

“USS George Washington expresses sincere condolences to those impacted by this loss and is actively engaged with the crew to make services available to tend to their needs during this challenging time,” Lt. Cmdr. Mark Langford, a spokesperson for the ship, told USNI News.

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Members of the crew line the deck as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington sails into Tokyo Bay. The ship called off a search for a missing sailor on Wednesday amid reports of a sailor overboard earlier in the week, the Navy said.  (Photo by STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)

The Navy is withholding the sailor’s name until 24 hours after next-of-kin notification, per Navy policy.

The George Washington was carrying out its first patrol since returning to Japan in November 2024, USNI News reported.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Navy.