The missing individuals have not been identified, and it was not immediately clear what ship they were trying to board or why. US forces routinely cooperate with other countries as part of the anti-piracy mission operating in the Gulf of Aden. These tasks sometimes include boarding ships to ensure they have proper credentials or are not transporting illicit substances.
A US official familiar with the incident said it had nothing to do with recent US-led strikes in neighboring Yemen and the broader international mission to protect commercial ships from militant attacks emanating from there. The official added that the matter was also unrelated to Iran's seizure of a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker.
U.S. Central Command, which coordinates military activities in the region, said the missing service members were Navy sailors and declined to provide additional information “until the recovery of the individuals is complete.”
Special operations forces in the region faced difficult counter-terrorism missions and other challenging operations. In November, five crew members of a special aviation unit were killed during a refueling accident off the coast of Cyprus.
ABC News was first to report the missing seals.
