Richfield community holds vigil for U.S. Marine lost at sea
Richfield community holds vigil for U.S. Marine lost at sea
A Richfield community hosted a vigil Sunday night for a man in the U.S. Marines that they say has been lost at sea since Thursday. At a service Sunday night at Oak Grove Lutheran Church in Richfield, the family identified the missing Marine as Armando Ortiz Canseco, a Lance Corporal in the Marines.
RICHFIELD, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Richfield community hosted a vigil Sunday night for a man in the U.S. Marines that they say has been lost at sea since Thursday.
Vigil for Lance Corporal Armando Ortiz Canseco
Why you should care:
At a service Sunday night at Oak Grove Lutheran Church in Richfield, the family identified the missing Marine as Armando Ortiz Canseco, a Lance Corporal in the Marines. According to reports, Canseco was serving aboard the U.S.S. Anchorage when he was reported missing during a training mission off the coast of southern California.
It prompted an extensive search that has now shifted to recovery operations. The Makin Island Amphibious Readiness Group initiated search and rescue efforts around 1:21 a.m. Thursday after the Marine was reported missing, according to a press release from the Deputy Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Navy.
Marine lost at sea
The backstory:
Canseco went missing during an integrated training between the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, located in Camp Pendleton South, and Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group. Around 9 p.m. Friday, the U.S. Navy transitioned from search and rescue efforts to search and recovery operations.
The search-and-recovery phase involved integrated response efforts from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Air Force, according to the Navy. The operation spanned approximately 2,400 square miles over 43 hours and involved three surface ships and 12 aircraft.
The Navy says its thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time.