USS George Washington carrier strike group participates in Talisman Sabre 25 exercises in the Timor Sea near Australia on July 18, 2025. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier sails in formation with the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls and the guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup. (U.S. Navy photo)

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its strike group of warships and aircraft are searching the Timor Sea off Australia for a sailor reported missing Monday, the Navy confirmed.

The search-and-rescue operations for a possible sailor overboard began after the command staff received word of a missing crew member.

“The ship initiated search-and-rescue procedures after receiving reports of a possible sailor overboard,” the USS George Washington said in a statement released by the Navy. “Australian Defence Force and Australian Border Force assets are also supporting the U.S. Navy with the search-and-rescue efforts.”

The sailor’s name is being withheld at this time, the Navy said.

The search includes the destroyer USS Shoup, the cruiser USS Robert Smalls, Helicopter Squadron 12 and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 78. Fixed-wing aircraft from the USS George Washington, a Nimitz-class carrier, are also involved in the search.

The George Washington strike group is in the Timor Sea as part of the Talisman Sabre 25 exercise.

“Talisman Sabre is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States, advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and partners, while enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns,” the Navy said in a statement issued July 18.

The exercise is the first deployment for the George Washington since it moved from San Diego to Navy Base-Fleet Activities Yokosuka in Japan. It replaced the USS Ronald Reagan, which is undergoing scheduled maintenance at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard at Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton near Seattle.