Hampton Navy veteran trapped in Bahrain following Iranian counter bombings

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - A Navy veteran from Hampton, Virginia, is trapped in Bahrain after the U.S. and Israeli missile strikes initiated counterattacks from Iran, and is now looking for a way to get home to his two children.

According to a family friend, Hampton resident Derek Davis was in Bahrain for Navy contract work and was supposed to return to the U.S. on Saturday, Feb. 28. 

After the U.S. and Israeli missile strikes initiated counterattacks from Iran, Davis is now trapped with no way of getting home.

Kelly Abernathy says she’s been friends with Davis for several years and found out he was trapped in Bahrain through postings on his Facebook account. 10 On Your Side spoke with Abernathy about what Davis said he experienced as the attacks began.

“He said, 'I can hear it going on around me. I'm scared,'" said Abernathy, "And I could hear it happening all around and I can feel this rumble. I can feel this tremor here. And I know what's happening. And that it was scary.”

According to Abernathy, the hotel Davis was staying in was bombed during the attacks. Since then, he’s been moved to various shelters.

“We woke up this morning to a message. 'We were hit last night, and we've gotta move,'” and it's been very limited in the information, but other than 'I'm safe,'" Abernathy said.

Davis, a Navy veteran, is now looking for way to get home to his two children in Hampton.

“He's got an older son who's very close to his dad and then a younger daughter who lives with her godmother, she lost her mother a year ago," Abernathy said. "So, he is their father figure and their primary parental figure. All we keep thinking of is, 'I'm sure his thoughts are going to get home to my kids.'"

Courtesy: Kelly Abernathy

Courtesy: Kelly Abernathy

Courtesy: Kelly Abernathy

Abernathy continued by calling on any U.S. officials who could help Davis and those in similar situations get home safely.

“I know that we've got lots of servicemen and women that are in a very similar predicaments, given what I've been seeing happen on the news," Abernathy said. "But just know that there are some civilians there as well that don't have the same resources that are being shuffled along with the masses and are scared. We need to give them the resources they need to be able to get to safety and to get home as soon as possible.”

Virginia and North Carolina’s lawmakers react to the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran

Abernathy went on to say that if you know someone in a similar situation overseas, the best thing to do is contact the closest U.S. embassy to alert them of the situation.