Search-and-Recovery Mission Launched for Missing Marine After California Training Exercise
June 28, 2026
The search began shortly after midnight on June 27, 2026, expanding to cover about 2,400 square miles (6,200 square kilometers).
A U.S. Marine is missing off southern California after a training exercise tied to the USS Anchorage and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the Navy has not released the name pending family notification.
The USS Anchorage, an amphibious transport dock ship based at Naval Base San Diego, is contributing to coordinated interagency search efforts under supervision of multiple branches.
Efforts began early Thursday and transitioned from search-and-rescue to search-and-recovery by Friday evening, with indications that survival is unlikely.
The shift to search-and-recovery reflects the evolving assessment of the situation as authorities continue operations through the weekend.
The report is provided by The Associated Press and carries copyright restrictions.
As of 9 p.m. local time on June 26, authorities had moved to a search-and-recovery mission with no new details about the disappearance.
The operation involves the Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Air Force, employing three surface ships and 12 aircraft across roughly 2,400 square miles.
Overall, the multinational effort spans about 2,400 square miles and includes three surface ships and 12 aircraft from the armed services.
This incident follows another recent high-profile missing-person case in which two Army soldiers disappeared during Moroccan training exercises and were recovered in May, underscoring ongoing multinational search efforts in training environments.
Summary based on 8 sources
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Sources

USA TODAY • Jun 28, 2026
Military searches for US Marine missing off California coast
ABC News • Jun 28, 2026
Military searches for a Marine missing off California coast
Los Angeles Times • Jun 28, 2026
U.S. military searching for Marine missing off San Diego coast - Los Angeles Times
Boston 25 News • Jun 28, 2026
The military is searching for a US Marine missing off the coast of California