VICTOR, Christopher
VICTOR, Christopher (c. 1983-2007), Seabee from Texas stationed on San Nicolas Island who was killed at San Nicolas Island with his friend, Justin Johnson, while kayaking. He was survived by his wife and three children.
In the News~
October 19, 2007 [LAT]: “U.S. Navy ships and aircraft as well as Coast Guard rescuers continued their search Thursday evening for two Navy sailors who disappeared while kayaking off San Nicolas Island on Wednesday. Authorities said the two Seabees, who had been stationed on the island for the last two weeks, were last seen about noon Wednesday in two, 6-foot blue-and-white kayaks. Searchers on the guided missile destroyer Momsen recovered two unmanned kayaks that fit the same description late Thursday, about 35 miles southeast of the island. The search for the sailors will continue overnight and into today, when the Navy will use a P-3 subhunting aircraft to scan the waters between the island and the recovered kayaks, authorities said. "We're focusing on the east and southeast portions off of San Nicolas Island," U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Andrew Munoz said. "We start from their last known position, and based on the currents and the winds, we can look at the most likely areas to search."”
October 19, 2007 [VCS]: “Rescuers found the two kayaks belonging to two Navy Seabees missing off San Nicolas Island since Wednesday, but the pair have not been located. The kayaks were found about 6 p.m. Thursday, tied together and floating about 35 miles southeast of San Nicolas Island and 14 miles west of San Clemente Island, according to Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Andrew Munoz. The kayaks were spotted by a Navy search and rescue airplane. A Coast Guard helicopter dispatched a diver, who searched unsuccessfully for the two men. Munoz said that rescuers are refining their search to the area between San Nicolas Island and the location of the kayaks. A Navy destroyer, USS Momsen, and a Navy helicopter were still searching the area Thursday night. Petty Officers 2nd Class Christopher Victor and Justin Johnson, both in their 20s, left the north shore of San Nicolas Island with two other kayakers about 8:30 a.m. Wednesday with plans to paddle around the island, where they are stationed, Munoz said. The men were last seen on a sand spit near the southeast corner of the island. The other kayakers made it back to the launching point at noon Wednesday and called San Nicolas personnel to conduct a search about 12:30 p.m., said Teri Reid, a public affairs officer for Naval Base Ventura County. The Coast Guard was contacted about 2:30 p.m. Three Navy helicopters, two Coast Guard choppers and the 87-foot Coast Guard cutter Halibut searched for the men Wednesday evening in winds near 35 mph and 6-foot waves, Munoz said. The men are based out of Gulfport, Miss., and were stationed at San Nicolas Island.”
October 20, 2007 [LAT]: “Rescuers suspended their search Friday afternoon for two missing Navy sailors who disappeared while kayaking near the Channel Islands. Coast Guard officials said they had exhausted all possibility of finding survivors. Justin Johnson, 27, of Elkland, Mo., and Christopher Victor, 24, of Schertz, Texas, were last seen Wednesday in two 6-foot, blue-and-white kayaks around San Nicolas Island, authorities said.”
