Marine combat engineer died of injuries suffered during fast-rope training on Okinawa

Lance Cpl. Devin J. Hernandez was injured at Marine Corps Camp Schwab and declared dead at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa on Camp Foster, officials said. Lance Cpl. Devin Hernandez, a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, builds demolition charges at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Oct. 22, 2026. (Alexander Devereux/U.S. Marine Corps) Lance Cpl. Devin J. Hernandez died Tuesday evening of injuries he sustained during fast-rope training at Marine Corps Camp Schwab, the 3rd Marine Division said Thursday. Hernandez — a combat engineer with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, N.C. — was transported for medical treatment and later died of his injuries, the service announced in a news release.

Hernandez, 25, was from Maryland. His decorations include the Navy Arctic Service Ribbon, according to the division. The release did not describe the nature of Hernandez’s injuries, state when they occurred or where he was treated. The incident remains under investigation. Fast-roping allows troops to rapidly enter an area by descending a rope from a helicopter or Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Marines at Camp Schwab train on a rappel tower before progressing to air operations. Hernandez was declared dead at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa on Camp Foster, division spokeswoman 1st Lt. Hannah Ladd wrote in an email Thursday. “The Marines and Sailors of