Sept. 2 (UPI) — The U.S. Defense Department announced the death of a soldier who went missing after a helicopter crash in Yemen.
The soldier, identified as Staff Sgt. Emil Rivera-Lopez, was declared dead on Friday after his status had previously been listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown.
Rivera-Lopez went missing when a Black Hawk helicopter crashed about 20 miles of the coast of Yemen during a training accident Aug. 25.
Five U.S. service members onboard the aircraft were rescued after the crash, but Rivera-Lopez remained missing.
The Army Times reported the 31-year-old Rivera-Lopez hailed from San Juan, P.R., and had been awarded nine commendations since joining the Army in July 2006.
