CORONADO, Calif. — The sailor who died Saturday morning after falling from an aircraft elevator onboard the USS Nimitz in Coronado has been identified.
Officials with the U.S. Naval Air Forces identified the 21-year-old as Logistics Specialist Seaman Juan José Garcia-Herrera of Chicago.
The Nimitz sailor who passed away September 28 was Logistics Specialist Seaman Juan José Garcia-Herrera, 21, a native of Chicago. The crew mourns the loss of their shipmate and memorial plans are pending. pic.twitter.com/83KwoFkf11
— flynavy (@flynavy) September 30, 2019
Garcia-Herrera fell from one of the ship’s aircraft elevators, which was in the down position, Friday night. He died Saturday morning from injuries suffered in the fall.
The USS Nimitz was in port at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado at the time of Garcia-Herrera’s fall. The accident was under investigation, officials with the U.S. Naval Air Forces said.
Garcia-Herrera finished logistics specialist “A” school in 2017 and reported aboard the USS Nimitz shortly thereafter. He was deployed with the Nimitz later in 2017.
The USS Nimitz is the Navy’s oldest active aircraft carrier. Its homeport is in Washington state.