Navy SEAL Micheal Ernst, died during free-fall HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachute training on February 19, 2023.
The HALO jump took place in Marana, Arizona. He was rushed to a hospital in Phoenix where he was pronounced dead.
US Representative, Ron Jackson, R-Texas, a former White House physician and retired Navy rear admiral, tweeted "Mike tragically died in a military parachute training accident while serving his country."
High-altitude military parachuting is a method of delivering military personnel and other supplies at a high altitude via free-fall parachute insertion. Two techniques are used: HALO (high altitude – low opening, often called a HALO jump) and HAHO (high altitude – high opening).
The Commander of the Naval Special Warfare Command, Rear Adm. Keith Davids, recently commented “Mike was an exceptional teammate. mentioned, "He was a dedicated NSW sailor who applied his talents and skills toward some of our nation’s hardest challenges, while selflessly mentoring his teammates.”
Micheal attended MIT while on active duty and was awarded a Silver Star for actions in combat, the military’s third-highest award for valor in combat.
Here are a few other recent Navy SEAL deaths:
- April 2022: Aaron Fowler, 29, was an NSW EOD officer when he was killed during explosive ordnance training.
- February 2022: Kyle Mullen, 24, a BUD/s candidate died following Hell Week of pneumonia in his dorm in Coronado, California.
- December 2021: Brian Bourgeois, 43, commander of SEAL Team 8, died during a fast-rope training exercise from a helicopter in Virginia.
