Found Sailor Thought Overboard, Presumed Dead: Instead, Engine Room

Presumed dead after going missing June 8, Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 3rd Class Peter Mims was found in the engine room of the USS Shiloh. Shiloh had been operating about 180 miles east of Okinawa Japan when Mims was presumed to have gone overboard.“U.S. Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and Japan Coast Guard assets spent over 50 hours in a comprehensive search that covered roughly 5,500 square miles,” read the Tuesday statement. “The team suspended their search efforts on midnight June 11.”The team that conducted the air and surface search included Shiloh, USS McCampbell (DDG-85), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), USS Barry (DDG-52), USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), Japan Maritime Self-Defense Ship Ashigara (DDG-178), Japanese Coast Guard Ships Kudaka and Ryuku, and locally based P-8A maritime patrol aircraft.It is unclear how Mims survived a week in the engineering space or where he was hiding. He will be flown off Shiloh for evaluation soon.In a statement posted on the 7th Fleet website, the Reagan's strike group commander said he was relieved by the discovery. “We are thankful to have found our missing shipmate and appreciate all the hard work of our Sailors and Japanese partners in searching for him,” Rear Adm. Charles Williams said. “I am relieved that this Sailor’s family will not be joining the ranks of Gold Star Families that have sacrificed so much for our country.”Read more news here.