US Navy sailor goes missing aboard ship for seven days

A sailor has been found on board the ship he was thought to have gone missing from seven days ago, the US Navy has said.

Petty Officer Peter Mims was presumed overboard on 8 June, triggering a search mission involving the US Navy and the Navy and Coast Guard of Japan. Mims is a gas turbine systems technician on board the USS Shiloah and went missing while the ship took part in the routine operations of the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group off the east coast of Japan.

5,500 miles of sea was searched over 50 hours in the search for Mims, who was found by fellow crew members in the engineering space of his ship on Thursday. The search had been called off days before on 11 June.

The carrier strike group's commander, Admiral Charles Williams, thanked Japan for its help in the effort, saying he was "thankful" the sailor had turned up.

"I am relieved that this Sailor's family will not be joining the ranks of Gold Star Families that have sacrificed so much for our country," he said.

The Navy has not given any more information about the incident but said it is under investigation. Mims will be flown to the USS Ronald Reagan for a medical evaluation before the next steps are decided.