A U.S. Marine, Chukwuemeka E. Oforah, has died after falling off the USS Iwo Jima ship into the sea.

He fell off the ship on February 7.

Mr Oforah, 21, a Lance Cpl with the U.S Marine, was declared dead on February 10, after 72 hours of search and rescue efforts.

In a statement, Colonel Tom Trimble, commanding officer of the Marine Expeditionary Unit in which Mr Oforah served, described the death of the U.S. Marine as a loss that would be felt by the Navy-Marine Corps team.

“We are all grieving alongside the Oforah family,” Mr Trimble said. “The loss of Lance Cp. Oforah is deeply felt across the entire Navy-Marine Corps team. He will be profoundly missed, and his dedicated service will not be forgotten.”

Mr Oforah, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in October 2023, served in a different unit after he graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, in February 2024.

During service, Mr Oforah was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, serving as an infantry rifleman.

Mr Oforah already completed training at the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, N.C., before he was deployed aboard USS Iwo Jima with Battalion Landing Team 3/6.

USS Iwo Jima is an amphibious assault ship that serves as a floating military base for the U.S. Navy was named after the historic Battle of Iwo Jima.