Irvin High School Graduate Listed Among Missing After USS John McCain Accident

Friends and family of an Irvin High School graduate are dealing with the news that he is one of the missing after the collision onboard the USS John S. McCain near Singapore on Monday.

39-year-old Abraham Lopez who graduated in 1997 from Irvin has been confirmed as one of the missing soldiers in an official press release from the U.S. Navy released on Thursday morning. Lopez was an Interior Communications Electrician 1st Class.

Friends said Lopez posted on his Facebook page on May 26 about his latest deployment saying he had "Deployed and left homeport for the last and final time in my Naval career yesterday afternoon. Will be out to sea for the next 4 months or so. Feels so good to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Take care peeps... I'll see you when I see you."

The search and rescue operations for the nine missing soldiers has been suspended.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and family of Abraham Lopez. We cannot imagine your pain. We can only offer you our sincerest condolences and the thanks of a grateful nation for his service and sacrifice.