A US Navy sailor is detained in Venezuela, Pentagon says

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Navy sailor has been detained in Venezuela after traveling there unauthorized on personal business, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The enlisted sailor was detained last week by Venezuelan law enforcement, two defense officials said.

One of the officials said the sailor has been in Venezuelan custody since on or about Aug. 30.

“The U.S. Navy is looking into this and working closely with the State Department,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not made public, referred to the State Department for an update on the sailors’ status.

One of the officials said the service member was neither on official travel nor did they have authorized leave to visit Venezuela.

On Wednesday spokesman Matt Miller said the State Department was monitoring the situation, but did not comment further.

The detention follows a similar disappearance earlier this year when a U.S. Army soldier was arrested after traveling to Russia to visit his girlfriend.

Staff Sgt. Gordon Black, 34, is still in Russia and was sentenced in June to three years and nine months in prison after his girlfriend accused him of stealing from her.

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