The young Marine who disappeared from the USS Anchorage during an overnight training exercise off the Southern California coast has been identified as 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Armando Ortiz Canseco of Minnesota. After more than 43 hours of searching across roughly 2,400 square miles, officials shifted from a search-and-rescue effort to a recovery mission. The Marine Corps said Ortiz Canseco was declared dead on Saturday, and the circumstances of his disappearance remain under investigation.
Multi-Agency Search Covered Thousands of Square Miles
The Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Air Force threw major resources at the initial search, deploying three surface ships and about a dozen aircraft across an area estimated at roughly 2,400 square miles, according to Fox 5 San Diego. The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit said Ortiz Canseco was first reported missing from the amphibious transport dock at about 1:21 a.m. while the ship was conducting integrated training with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group. Search crews continued working through Friday before commanders formally shifted the mission’s focus to recovery.
Marine Corps Confirms Identity, Offers Condolences
I Marine Expeditionary Force publicly identified the missing Marine as Lance Cpl. Armando Ortiz Canseco and offered condolences to his loved ones. “He earned the title of United States Marine and served his country with honor and commitment,” Col. Richard Alvarez said in a statement, according to Stars & Stripes. The service said the cause of the incident is under investigation.
Ortiz Canseco was temporarily assigned to USS Anchorage in preparation for integrated training with the 13th MEU and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, the Marine Corps said in a news release reported by USNI News. According to the release, he enlisted in April 2023, completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and attended the School of Infantry - West before serving with units at Camp Pendleton.
Richfield Community Gathers
Back in Richfield, Minnesota, family members and neighbors gathered for a vigil at Oak Grove Lutheran Church over the weekend as they waited for updates from military officials, Fox 9 Minneapolis reported. Church organizers told local reporters the family’s priority was bringing Ortiz Canseco home, and they asked for privacy while authorities continue the investigation.
The Department of Defense confirmed the operation had transitioned from search to recovery as crews focused on locating remains, and officials reiterated that the U.S. Marine Corps is investigating the circumstances of the disappearance, according to reporting by ABC7 Los Angeles. Military spokespeople have not released any additional information about how Ortiz Canseco entered the water.
What a Man-Overboard Response Looks Like
Current and former service members say that when someone goes overboard, crews typically move fast and in force, a Marine veteran told NBC San Diego. A standard response usually includes sounding alarms, posting extra lookouts, and launching aircraft and small boats in rapid succession, all in an effort to find the person as quickly as possible. Even with that kind of response, the size of the ocean and often challenging conditions can make recovery efforts extremely difficult.
Ortiz Canseco’s commanders have asked for privacy for his family as officials continue their work, and unit leaders have said they remain “committed to bringing him home,” echoing the language used in their public statements. The Marine Corps has not announced a timeline for the investigation or when more information might be released.
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