BREMERTON, Wash. (AP) - A U.S. Navy sailor has died onboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, due to causes unrelated to the coronavirus, officials said.
Spokeswoman Miranda Williams said the first-class petty officer was found unresponsive in his work center on Saturday, the Kitsap Sun reported.
“Given the facts presented so far, this is not a COVID related death,” she said, adding that he did not exhibit any symptoms of COVID-19 and had “appeared in good health.”
The Navy did not identify the officer. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating the death.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of our departed shipmate,” Williams said.
The death comes after the USS Carl Vinson emerged from dry dock earlier this month after a $367 million overhaul at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Navy officials said.
Previously, the Navy has publicly identified a Carl Vinson sailor who tested positive for COVID-19, but leaders have confirmed that the sailor was on leave and never made it onboard the ship, officials said, adding that the announcement came despite the Pentagon ban prohibiting individual commands from reporting coronavirus cases.
As of Monday, the ship had no cases of COVID-19, Williams said.
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