An investigation is under way into the death of a Navy SEAL trainee who died after passing out during training in Coronado, the Special Warfare Command confirmed Tuesday.
Seaman James Derek Lovelace, 21, was pulled from a pool at Naval Base Coronado last Friday during a training exercising called “drown proofing,” in which prospective SEALs tread water while in uniform and wearing a diving mask, according to the Navy.
The Florida resident, who joined the Navy six months ago, died at a hospital. According to the Navy, he is survived by his father and two sisters.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of (Seaman) Lovelace,” said Capt. Jay Hennessey, commander of the Naval Special Warfare Center.
Navy Times reported Tuesday that Lovelace and others from Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training Class 319 were doing a pool familiarization exercise in their first week of training, said Naval Special Warfare Center spokesman Lt. Trevor Davids.
“In the training pool during the evolution, safety observers saw he was having difficulty,” he said.
Instructors pulled him to the edge of the pool, where he lost consciousness, Navy Times said. They called 911 and attempted to resuscitate him on-scene, but he was taken by emergency medical services to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
Davids couldn’t confirm how many people were in the pool at the time of Lovelace’s death, though the evolution involved his entire class in sections.
“Though Derek was very new to our community, he selflessly answered his nation’s call to defend freedom and protect this country,” Hennessy said. “He will be sorely missed. We share in his family’s grief from this great loss.”
The Navy said the exercise is performed during the first week of training “to assess and develop students’ competency, confidence and safety in the water.”
Lovelace was captain of his varsity baseball team at Crestview (Florida) High School and studied mechanical engineering at Faulkner State Community College before enlisting in November, his Navy bio said.
He graduated from boot camp in January and reported to BUD/S in April. He is survived by his father and two sisters.
The Virginian-Pilot and NBC News were the first to report the death.
— City News Service contributed to this report.
