US Navy declares five sailors dead in helicopter Crash

The US Navy has declared five sailors dead after a helicopter crash in the Pacific on Tuesday and is shifting to recovery operations, AP was cited as reporting by Sputnik.

Search and rescue operations had been underway since the MH-60S Knighthawk crashed into the sea Tuesday afternoon, about 60 nautical miles from San Diego, while operating off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, the Navy Times reported.

Search and rescue operations had been underway since the MH-60S Knighthawk crashed into the sea Tuesday afternoon, about 60 nautical miles from San Diego, while operating off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.

One crewmember was rescued a few hours after the helicopter went down on Tuesday.

Abraham Lincoln, littoral combat ship Cincinnati, as well as helicopter units and Coast Guard assets are now conducting recovery operations, according to 3rd Fleet, the Navy Times added.

The helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 and the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, was “operating on deck before crashing into the sea,” the command said Wednesday.

Officials have not yet released details explaining what the helicopter was doing before the accident.

Five sailors who were onboard Abraham Lincoln at the time of the crash also suffered injuries but are in stable condition, according to the command.

Two of those five were transported off the ship, while three had injuries that didn’t require evacuation, 3rd Fleet said Wednesday.

KI/PR