U.S. Military officials confirmed Wednesday the crash of a U.S. Navy helicopter off the San Diego coast. Officials said search and rescue efforts are underway.
Five crew members of the aircraft, which crashed into the sea Tuesday, are, reportedly, still missing. First responders on the scene were, reportedly, able to rescue one crew member. The U.S. Navy did not disclose the condition of the crew member that was rescued.
The U.S. Navy's 3rd Fleet said the helicopter crashed into the sea approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego while it was conducting routine flight operations. The helicopter reported left the USS Abraham Lincoln, the aircraft carrier it was based on.
Navy officials said multiple Coast Guard and Navy ships and helicopters have been deployed to search for the missing crewmen. Officials said the sea and air rescue operation will continue until all of the crew members are found.
The helicopter embarked on the USS Abraham Lincoln that was located 60 nautical miles from San Diego crashed "while conducting routine flight operations." https://t.co/vxgTHSLSLf — Newsweek (@Newsweek) September 1, 2021
The helicopter that crashed was a Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk, equipped with a twin turboshaft engine. The multi-mission helicopter is based on the U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk and is often used in missions such as combat support, search and rescue, and humanitarian disaster relief. The vehicle typically carries a crew of four people.
No other details about the crash were immediately available. The Navy said it will provide more updates on the situation once it becomes available.
