The recovery effort for a United States airman who fell into the Gulf of Mexico during a training exercise has been suspended after more than two weeks.
On Nov. 5, Staff Sgt. Cole Condiff, an Air Force special tactics combat controller, fell 1,500 feet out of a C-130 during a training exercise about two miles offshore of Destin, Florida. The 29-year-old’s fall set off a massive rescue operation that combed hundreds of square miles off the coast of Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola, but 24th Special Operations Wing commander Col. Matt Allen announced over the weekend that the search for Condiff had been called off.
“While this is a time of great loss across our organization, I am incredibly grateful for the response of our joint teammates, local agencies and community partners who rallied for 17 straight days to help find our airman,” Allen said in a statement.
Airmen on the plane reported that Condiff’s parachute had deployed and said they saw the fallen airman treading water but lost sight of their fellow service member when the plane turned around in attempt to rescue him.
Search parties from both the Air Force and Coast Guard scanned the area with air patrols and used underwater sonar in hopes of recovering Condiff, who was presumed dead, after the fall.
Condiff, who enlisted in the Air Force in 2012, completed deployments to Africa and Afghanistan and was a static-line jumpmaster, combat scuba diver, air traffic controller, joint air traffic controller, and military free-fall jumper. He was given an Air Force Commendation Medal and an Air Force Achievement Medal for his years of service.
The airman grew up in Spokane, Washington, and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Condiff is survived by his wife Rachael and his two daughters, Charley, 4, and 1-year-old Quinn.
“Cole was a man with deep-rooted beliefs who dedicated himself to God, our freedoms, peace, and his family. He was a devoted family man within our squadron, focused on teaching his girls to be adventurous like he was,” U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Steven Cooper, Condiff’s commander, said in a statement after the accident.
“This is a tragic loss to the squadron, the Special Tactics community and our nation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and teammates at this time,” Cooper added.
Condiff’s cousin, Tyler Condiff, posted photos of the airman on Twitter after the Air Force identified him earlier this month, writing, “This week has been a rough for me. My cousin Cole Condiff was killed in an accident during a training exercise. Cole is the toughest man I know, and I cannot fully express how proud I am of him. Prayers and love go out to his wife and children!”
This week has been a rough for me. My cousin Cole Condiff was killed in an accident during a training exercise. Cole is the toughest man I know, and I cannot fully express how proud I am of him. Prayers and love go out to his wife and children! #UntilWeMeetAgain #Patriot #Hero pic.twitter.com/fedJTS4PoY
— Tyler Condiff ?? (@CoachCondiff) November 10, 2019
A GoFundMe was set up after Condiff’s death.
“Like any true Texan, Cole raised his hand and voluntarily deployed multiple times in support of our nation’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations,” the page reads. “More importantly, Cole balanced his warrior life with a hilarious and contagious energy.”
More than $100,000 has been raised so far to support his wife and daughters in “their coming transition, travel, stabilization, future education, etc.”
