Marine Lance Cpl. Armando Ortiz Canseco Declared Lost at Sea After USS Anchorage Training Operation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Lance Corporal Armando Ortiz Canseco, a 21-year-old Marine rifleman from Richfield, Minnesota, was declared dead on June 27 after disappearing from the amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage during integrated training exercises off the California coast. The Navy searched more than 2,400 square miles over two days before transitioning to recovery operations; his body has not been recovered.
ANALYSIS
Ortiz Canseco was reported missing on the morning of June 25 while serving aboard the USS Anchorage, an amphibious transport dock assigned to support integrated training between the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group off the Southern California coast. Circumstances surrounding his disappearance are under investigation. The incident occurred during routine pre-deployment training, which routinely involves ship-to-ship transfers, amphibious operations, and water work, all of which carry elevated man-overboard risk.
The Navy launched a search and rescue operation involving three surface vessels and 12 aircraft, covering approximately 2,400 square miles. After 36 hours without locating Ortiz Canseco, rescue personnel transitioned to recovery operations on the evening of June 26. The Marine Corps formally declared him deceased on June 27. His remains have not been recovered.
Ortiz Canseco enlisted in April 2023 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego before attending the School of Infantry West as a rifleman. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and later to 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, both at Camp Pendleton. The 13th MEU and Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group training cycle in which he was participating represents a standard pre-deployment integration exercise.
Ortiz Canseco's family is from Richfield, Minnesota, where the community held a public vigil. Family members have told media they are seeking answers about the specific circumstances of his disappearance. The Marine Corps has opened an investigation. Man-overboard incidents during amphibious training are rare but have occurred during periods of high operational tempo, when training schedules compress recovery time between evolutions.
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