5 Missing Navy Sailors Declared Dead After Helicopter Crashed into Pacific Ocean off Calif. Coast
Five missing Navy Sailors have been declared dead after their helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean off of the California coast, according to military officials.
On Saturday, the U.S. Navy announced in a statement that efforts have now shifted from search and rescue to recovery after over 72 hours of "coordinated rescue efforts."
The MH-60S helicopter went down around 4:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday while "conducting routine flight operations from USS Abraham Lincoln," according to the statement. The aircraft crashed into the ocean about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego.
Names of the Sailors are being withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified "as a matter of respect for the families."
Search and rescue efforts involved 34 flights with five search helicopters and a "constant surface vessel search" before transitioning to a search for remains.
The Navy's Third Fleet stated Wednesday that one sailor had been rescued shortly after the incident. He was taken to a San Diego hospital in stable condition.
Lt. Samuel R. Boyle, a spokesman for the Pacific fleet, said five other Sailors on USS Abraham Lincoln were injured as well, according to The Associated Press. Two were taken to a San Diego hospital while three others were treated on-site for minor injuries.
Further details about the crash have not been revealed. An investigation into the incident has been launched.
MH-60S helicopters can carry up to four people and are usually used for missions involving combat support, anti-surface warfare, disaster relief, and combat search and rescue, per the Naval Air Systems site.
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