Search and rescue operations are underway after a U.S. Navy helicopter crashed in the ocean off San Diego on Tuesday during a routine flight from an aircraft carrier, military officials said. One crew member has been rescued and five are unaccounted for, Coast Guard Petty Officer Alex Gray told CBS News.
The rescued crew member was transported ashore and was listed in stable condition, the 3rd Fleet said Wednesday. The helicopter was operating on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln before the crash, and five sailors on the ship also suffered injuries during the incident, the 3rd Fleet said on Facebook.
The five injured sailors are also in stable condition, the fleet said. Two of the sailors were taken ashore for treatment, and three stayed on the ship with what the fleet described as “minimal injuries.”
The MH-60S chopper crashed around 4:30 p.m. about 60 nautical miles off San Diego, the Navy’s U.S. Pacific Fleet tweeted.
The crash happened while the aircraft was “conducting routine flight operations” off the Nimitz-class carrier, according to the Navy.
“Search and rescue operations are ongoing with multiple Coast Guard and Navy air and surface assets,” the tweet said.
The MH-60S is a versatile aircraft that typically carries a crew of four and is used in missions including combat support, humanitarian disaster relief and search and rescue.
The Abraham Lincoln’s home port is San Diego.
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