Three Sailors From USS George Washington Aircraft Carrier Found Dead in Under One Week; Navy Does Not Provide Cause of Death

Three sailors from the USS George Washington Aircraft Carrier were found dead in less than one week, the Navy said.

“One sailor was found unresponsive on board the carrier last Friday, while two other sailors were found at off base locations on April 9 and 10,” CNN reported.

Three sailors from the USS George Washington aircraft carrier were found dead in less than one week, the Navy said, as the Naval Criminal Investigative Service and local authorities investigate the deaths. https://t.co/6dlSIVdDEj

— CNN (@CNN) April 19, 2022

“While these incidents remain under investigation, there is no initial indication to suggest there is a correlation between these tragic events,” said Cmdr. Reann Mommsen, a Navy spokeswoman.

The Navy did not provide a cause of death for any of the three, but the ship did bring on board a Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Team. These teams are intended to provide short-term mental health support after a traumatic event, such as a loss of life.

The Navy identified the sailor found deceased on April 9 as Retail Services Specialist 3rd Class Mikail Sharp. The Navy identified the sailor found deceased on April 10 as Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Natasha Huffman.

The Navy did not identify the third sailor who was found unresponsive on board the ship on Friday and died.

The deaths of these three sailors come as the carrier continues a lengthy and extended refueling and complex overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding that began in 2017 and was supposed to be wrapped up last year.

Such overhauls are conducted halfway through a carrier’s 50-year service life to refuel the nuclear power reactor and conduct significant repairs and upgrades over four years of work.

New work emerged during the repairs and the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated labor shortages, officials told Defense News last month.

That means that if George Washington comes out of the yard in December, as Navy officials predict, its overhaul will have taken more than five years.