ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Two Navy petty officers who died from exposure to chemical fumes aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Enterprise were in a restricted area without authorization, Navy officials said.
The ship with 5,500 persons aboard returned to its home port at the Alameda Naval Air Station Wednesday after maneuvers off the Northern California coast.
The victims were identified as Kevin D. Johnson, 23, of Brookshire, Texas, and Eric Sauerborn, 22, of Lutherville, Md.
Their bodies were discovered in the storeroom Tuesday.
Capt. Robert J. Spane, commander of the Enterprise, said the 40- by 20-foot storeroom is normally locked and entry into it is highly restricted.
He said the storeroom contains large quantities of about 50 chemicals, mainly used to test and control the water aboard the ship. He said ship records showed no one had entered the room since June 28.
Spane said the storeroom must be tested for air quality and oxygen levels and authorization papers must be signed documenting the tests before crew members can enter the room.
'These procedures were not followed,' he said.
Johnson was in charge of the stoage area and had a key to the room. Sauerborn was in charge of obtaining chemicals.
A preliminary investigation indicated the men 'were getting chemicals but apparently they did not do it in the correct way,' Spane said, adding that the two men were 'good sailors.'
