The Navy called off its search Wednesday night for a sailor who went missing last weekend and is presumed overboard.

While 3rd Fleet officials have not identified the sailor, Alicia McCalla of Atlanta said this week that the lost shipmate is her son, Lt. j.g. Asante McCalla.

Overboard procedures were initiated Sunday morning on the cruiser Lake Erie after the sailor failed to report for duty as the ship underwent training with a carrier strike group in the eastern Pacific Ocean, according to the Navy.

RELATED

In a Facebook video posted Tuesday, a visibly upset McCalla criticized the Navy for failing to keep her family adequately apprised of developments.

“The Navy Times has been given more information than we have been given,” she said. “Help us by either praying or help us by letting the Navy know that we’ve got to know what has happened to Lt. j.g. McCalla."

In a Facebook post Thursday, McCalla said the family has not given up hope that Lt. j.g. McCalla will be found alive.

“Please continue to pray for Asante’s safe return,” she wrote.

The post also stated that the Navy had “substantially improved” its communication with the McCallas.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay travel costs as they make their way to San Diego to collect the junior officer’s personal effects.

Asante McCalla graduated from Morehouse College, according to the page, and recently pinned on the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

“He is intelligent, God-fearing, hard working young man that loves life and always has a SMILE on his face!” the page states.

Seven Navy ships and multiple Navy and Coast Guard aircraft took part in the search, combing more than 16,550 square-nautical miles of open water since Sunday.

Geoff is the editor of Navy Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

Share:
In Other News
Load More