BRISTOW - The Navy announced the death Friday of a Norfolk-based sailor lost at sea in February.

Engineman First Class Theophilus Kwaku Ansong fell into the Gulf of Aden on February 4, along with two fellow sailors from USS San Antonio.

Their raft flipped over as they were being lowered to the water. The sailors were being transferred to another ship.

Rescuers saved the other two sailors, but could not find Ansong.

After 24 hours, the search for Ansong was called off.

Ansong's father, Nelson, says rescuers found his son's life vest during the operation.

"I really need some answers. How did he come out from the jacket? I need those answers," said Nelson Ansong.

His 34-year-old son was the eldest of the family, and was just three weeks shy of marking his 10th anniversary in the Navy.

Ansong's mother said her son was very dedicatied to his service and loved being in the military.

"We know that he died because he loved his country, but we are in very deep grief because it seems like we're not getting the right answers. We don't understand how it had to happen like that," said Charity Ansong.

During his nearly ten years of service, Theophilus Ansong earned a number of medals including the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement medal, and another for pistol shooting.

A Navy spokesperson said a thorough investigation into the accident is underway.

Ansong's mother just wants him home.

"How am I going to grieve without his body? How are we going to do the burial without his body?"