A search-and-rescue operation is under way in the Timor Sea for a US sailor believed to have gone overboard from the USS George Washington on Monday.
The aircraft carrier and its strike group are conducting operations after reports of a possible sailor overboard on Monday afternoon, the US Navy confirmed. Australian Defence Force and Australian Border Force assets are assisting, including a Royal Australian Air Force P8-A Poseidon aircraft and the patrol boat ADV Cape Otway.
The sailor's name, rank, and circumstances have not been disclosed. The USS George Washington, forward-deployed in Japan, returned to sea in 2024 after a major overhaul and is participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025.
Talisman Sabre is a biennial multinational exercise led by Australia and the US, involving over 43,000 personnel from 19 countries this year, with observers from Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
The Timor Sea, north-west of Darwin, is a shallow sea between Australia and Timor.
