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Navy SEAL died spearfishing off Zanzibar coast on Veterans Day

Posted at 5:00 PM, Nov 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-16 17:00:49-05

Navy Lt. Mark Weiss died during a spearfishing accident in East Africa. (U.S. Navy)

SAN DIEGO (KSWB) – A Coronado-based Navy SEAL died while spearfishing off the coast of Zanzibar on Veterans Day, according to FOX 5 in San Diego.

Lt. Mark Alan Weiss, 35, was off-duty when the accident happened. He was assigned to Coronado-based Special Boat Team 12, Navy Special Warfare Group 4. A statement from an official Naval Special Warfare blog said he and a fellow service member were on post-deployment leave and the other service member is receiving medical treatment for his injuries.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Weiss was spearfishing when he died. The newspaper said he is the second Navy SEAL to die in an accident in the last few months. Cmdr. Seth Stone died on September 30 after his parachute failed to open properly while jumping from a hot air balloon.

Weiss, a Michigan native, was an enlisted SEAL when he completed his basic SEAL and special warfare advanced training in Coronado between April 2011 and July 2002. He was assigned to Coronado in 2016.