Family Of Oak Creek Marine Killed Last Year Suing: Report

OAK CREEK, WI — Evan Bath, a 19-year-old Marine from Oak Creek, was killed last year in a military training incident. He died alongside several other service members after their amphibious vehicle sank into waters off the coast of California.

The families of the service members killed in the accident, including Bath's family, are now suing the manufacturer of the sunken vehicle, BAE Systems. The families' lawyer claimed the Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV) had notable, known flaws with its main entry hatch, The Journal Sentinel reported.

Della Donna said the hatch could not be locked open, was too heavy and too small, according to the report. BAE Systems could have fixed these issues years ago, but did not, resulting in the deaths of Bath and others, she said in the report.

The AAV sank on July 30, 2020 during a training exercise after its engine failed. Bilge pumps failed and the vehicle started taking on water. The vehicle started sinking and those onboard, including Bath, were unable to escape, according to the Journal Sentinel report.

The significant weight of the hatch and other problems — combined with engine failure and thousands of pounds of pressure from waves outside — created a situation where the servicemembers were unable to escape, the report said.

Read the full report from the Journal Sentinel here.