According to reports, an Arizona free-fall parachute training exercise accident claimed the life of a US Navy SEAL.
Following the tragic training accident at an airfield in Marana, Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael Ernst was transported to Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix where he was later declared dead, according to a statement from the Naval Special Warfare Command to Fox News.
The Navy stated that further comment on the tragedy would be “inappropriate” until a report was finished because the accident’s cause is still being investigated.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Ernst family,” Rear Adm. Keith Davids, the leader of Naval Special Warfare Command, said.
Ernst was attached to a Naval Special Warfare East Coast-based unit during the time of the accident.
Naval Special Warfare community operators regularly train in free-falling techniques and usually perform these maneuvers at high altitudes, with a low opening called “HALO.”
“Mike was an exceptional teammate. He was a dedicated NSW Sailor who applied his talents and skills towards some of our nation’s hardest challenges, while selflessly mentoring his teammates,” Adm. Keith Davids said.
Ernst is survived by his wife and their two young children, ages 2 and 5.
Ernst’s passing makes the Navy’s fourth training-related fatality in the previous 14 months, according to Military.com.
Ryan DeKorte, an electronics technician 1st class, passed away in May 2022 as a result of wounds he received during an accident involving a helicopter landing close to Norfolk, Virginia.
After completing Navy Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in February 2022, Seaman Kyle Mullen passed away. This death sparked a series of inquiries into whether recruits attempting SEAL training were not provided with the necessary medical care and/or were discouraged from seeking it if necessary.
On December 20, 2021, in Virginia Beach, the commanding officer of SEAL Team 8, Cmdr. Brian Bourgeois, passed away while undergoing a fast-rope training evolution.
