Airman Dies in Heavy Machinery Incident at Vandenberg Space Force Base

A 23-year-old airman died on Thursday while operating heavy machinery at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County, California. Airman 1st Class Cedric Eneluna, a member of the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron Pavements and Equipment Flight, was involved in an incident where the machinery rolled down an embankment, according to military officials.

Eneluna joined the Air Force in March 2024 and was assigned to his post in August of the same year. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is currently ongoing, and the Santa Barbara coroner’s office has not yet released an official cause of death. Eneluna's mother, Myra Locsin, expressed her grief on Facebook, sharing that he was looking forward to further military training in Chicago. U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Seth Poulsen praised Eneluna for his professionalism and positive attitude.