A 33-year-old soldier from Flushing, New York, who was serving in the United States Navy, went missing in South Carolina last week. After several days of searching by various law enforcement and rescue departments, his body was discovered near the riverbank on August 30th. The cause of death has not been determined yet, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has also launched an investigation.
The deceased has been identified as 33-year-old Yu Wei Huo, from Beaufort County. The Beaufort County Coroner’s Office found his body near the riverbank and will conduct an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office stated that two bodies were found in the northern waters of the area on Sunday. Authorities are investigating both incidents and believe that they are not related. The identity of the other deceased person has not been disclosed pending DNA testing for confirmation.
According to the “Military Times,” the United States Marine Corps stated that Huo, originally from Flushing, New York, was a Navy corpsman serving as a dental assistant. Prior to his disappearance, he was stationed at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot on Parris Island in South Carolina.
Huo joined the US Navy in Flushing, New York in April 2023, during which he received awards for good conduct and achievement from both the Navy and Marine Corps twice.
In a statement, the Marine Corps expressed respect for the deceased’s family and friends by refraining from disclosing further details at this time. They extended their deepest condolences to the family, friends, and fellow service members of the deceased.
As reported by The Post and Courier, the last sighting of the deceased was on August 27th around 3:30 pm near the Broad River Bridge in Beaufort County. At that time, he was described as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, wearing a gray jacket, black shorts, and white shoes.
Following his disappearance, multiple law enforcement and rescue departments launched search operations. The Beaufort Water Search and Rescue Team temporarily suspended operations on August 28 due to a storm in the area but resumed the search the next morning with three boats and a drone scouring the waterways around Broad River Bridge.
The search continued until Sunday, when authorities ultimately discovered Huo’s body near the riverbank.
Currently, authorities have not disclosed how Huo ended up in the water or died. The Coroner’s Office stated that the autopsy results are pending. In addition to the local law enforcement agencies, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is also conducting an investigation into this death case.