YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — U.S. Navy ships in the Pacific were still searching Monday for Airman Jason J. Doyle, a 19-year-old who fell overboard from the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier Saturday.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no sign of Doyle, said Kitty Hawk Strike Group spokesman Lt. Cmdr. John Bernard. The search is being conducted by air and water by the Kitty Hawk, the USS Cowpens, the USS Russell, the USS Lassen, the USNS Tippecanoe and the Navy’s P-3 Orion aircraft unit from Misawa, Japan.
“Kitty Hawk and the other ships in company have delayed movements to search for him,” Bernard said. The units continue to search.
Doyle was working on the ship’s flight deck around 5 p.m. Saturday as part of his assignment to Electronic Attack Squadron 136’s line division. The ship was conducting routine flight operations off the east coast of Japan, a news release said.
From the flight deck, Doyle fell about 60 feet into the sea. According to Bernard, Doyle dropped out of sight as soon as he fell.
“Rescue swimmers did not enter the water as he was not visible once he went overboard,” Bernard said. “Swimmers only enter the water once a survivor is found to effect the rescue.”
Commander, Task Force 70, under the command of Rear Adm. Doug McClain, is investigating the fall, Bernard said.
Doyle’s hometown is Omaha, Neb. He is single. His parents have been notified of the accident, Bernard said.
