In a tragic turn of events, two Navy SEALs are missing after falling into the water during a nighttime boarding mission off the coast of Somalia, according to officials from the United States. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Gulf of Aden when high waves unexpectedly knocked one of the SEALs into the sea while they were climbing aboard a vessel.

Following the Navy SEAL protocol of aiding a comrade in danger, the second SEAL promptly jumped into the water to assist their fellow team member. However, both SEALs vanished, leaving no trace behind. The United States Central Command has launched a search and rescue mission in order to locate and retrieve the missing sailors.

Officials have clarified that the incident is not connected to the ongoing United States response to Houthi-led attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea, nor is it related to Iran's recent seizure of an oil tanker. The specific details regarding the mission the SEALs were undertaking and the vessel they were attempting to board remain unclear.

However, the presence of pirates along the Somali coast is well-known, as they frequently target cargo ships, hijacking them for ransom. The area in which the incident occurred, the Gulf of Aden, has seen heightened Navy activity in recent weeks. The United States often collaborates with other nations on counter-piracy missions in the region, which involve boarding vessels to ensure compliance with regulations and prevent the transportation of illicit goods.

The US Navy has a track record of conducting interdiction missions to intercept weapons en route to Houthi-controlled Yemen. The two missing sailors were described as "forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet (C5F) area of operations supporting a wide variety of missions" by the US Central Command.

As the search and rescue mission gets underway, the fate of the two Navy SEALs remains uncertain. Their fellow service members, along with allied forces, are fully committed to finding and bringing them back safely.