Sailors salute aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as they arrive at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., on Dec. 20, 2024. (U.S. Navy)
The Navy is searching for a sailor from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln missing since late last month.
Seaman Sergio Valoura, a culinary specialist, left the ship on May 30, according to a statement from the Naval Air Forces commander in San Diego.
Valoura failed to report for assigned duties, which led to a ship-wide search for the sailor, the Navy said. When he was not found aboard the carrier, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service was notified.
An alert was also sent to local law enforcement authorities in San Diego, where Abraham Lincoln is now. The Navy said it also contacted the sailor’s family, but did not disclose in the statement where they live.
“Seaman Valoura’s whereabouts remain unknown,” according to the statement. “The U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with the search efforts led by NCIS and local authorities, as the sailor’s safety and well-being remain the top priority.”
Photos of Culinary Specialist Seaman Sergio Veloura posted on Facebook by friends seeking to find his whereabouts. (Facebook)
The Navy stated it could not provide Valoura’s age, hometown, or the length of his service in the Navy.
The Abraham Lincoln is at its homeport at Naval Air Station North Island. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier returned Dec. 20, 2024, from a five-month deployment to the Middle East. It participated in operations to suppress Houthi rebels attacking commercial and military shipping in the Red Sea.
Crewmates and friends of Valoura’s have been seeking information on his whereabouts for more than a week via social media.
A Facebook post on a naval aviation-related group page stated Valoura was last seen walking on the hangar deck of the aircraft carrier on the morning of May 30.
“Valoura was reported missing by his (chain of command) and is believed to be in danger of hurting himself,” one member’s post read. “Sailors that work with him reported that he has no cell phone and no family contacts.”
A photo is posted on Facebook of Valoura in his culinary specialist uniform in front of an American flag, paired with a shot of him wearing a coronavirus-type mask.
Valoura’s name did not appear in San Diego-area military and civilian arrest records published as of Thursday afternoon.
Anyone with information is urged to contact NCIS at www.ncis.navy.mil or by using the NCIS Tips app.
