What happened to Michael Ernst? Navy seal dies in parachute mishap
Mia Horton
Published Jan 18, 2026
As per various reports, a US Naval force SEAL named Michael Ernst unfortunately died in a “military drop preparing setback” during an airstrip in Marana.
Michael Ernst was the Main Extraordinary Fighting Administrator in the Naval force. He was taken to Standard College Clinical Center in Phoenix on Sunday, February 19, where he was pronounced dead, the Maritime Extraordinary Fighting Order told Fox News in a proclamation.
The reason for the deadly occurrence is being researched, as per Naval force representative Kara Handley. The Maritime Exceptional Fighting Order said:
Ernst got into a parachute disaster episode on February 19, 2023. He was taken to a close by emergency clinic in a rush yet was subsequently proclaimed dead. Representative Handley said Michael Ernst was articulated dead at Standard College Clinical Center in adjacent Tucson at 2:07 p.m. neighborhood time on Sunday.
He was in contact with the Maritime Unique Fighting East Coast-based unit during the hour of the episode.
The Maritime Extraordinary Fighting Unit people group consistently participates in dropping preparation exercises and strategies to perform moves at high heights in the event of crises.
Ernst held hands with the Naval force military local area in August 2009, and after three years, he joined the SEAL people group. Adm. Keith Davids discusses Michael’s hard working attitude:
“Mike was an uncommon partner. He was a devoted NSW Mariner who applied his gifts and abilities towards a portion of our country’s hardest difficulties, while magnanimously tutoring his partners.”
He added:
Signed up with the Naval force in 2009, Michael Ernst went to SEAL preparing in 2010. Before long, he was doled out toward the East Coast Extraordinary Fighting Unit. He procured the Silver Star grant, the tactical’s third-most noteworthy adornment for boldness and dauntlessness in battle.
He was additionally granted various different accomplishments, including the Joint Honor Decoration, the Naval force and Marine Corps Accomplishment Award, and the Worldwide Conflict on Psychological oppression Administration Decoration, during his time in the military.
In December 2021, Cmdr. Brian Average died in an appalling quick rope preparing mishap in Virginia Ocean side. He had in excess of a 20-drawn out vocation in the military, where he accomplished the Bronze Star.
#NeverForget Chief Special Warfare Operator Michael Ernst died following a "military free fall training accident" on Sunday, 19Feb23 in Arizona.
— #NeverForget our troops. 🇺🇸 (@willo1246) February 24, 2023
In February 2022, Sailor Kyle Mullen died from pneumonia only a couple of days after the underlying period of SEAL preparing. His passing ignited examinations and articles asserting that the tip top unit neglected to give sufficient clinical consideration to the enlisted people. It seemed like requesting help was deterred among the volunteers.
Gadgets Professional Top notch Ryan DeKorte died in a helicopter arrival mishap at Joint Expeditionary Base Little River Stronghold Story, Virginia, in May 2022, while presenting with an East Coast maritime exceptional fighting unit.
All through the examination and later, Michael Ernst will be remembered fondly by companions, family, and partners.