Five servicemen went missing and a sixth was rescued after an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean around 08:30 am local time (20:30 pm GMT), the US Navy said. The aircraft was onboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).
According to the Navy, which is involved in search and rescue operations with the US Coast Guard, the aircraft crashed about 60 nautical miles (111 kilometers) off the coast of San Diego while engaged in routine flights.
Currently, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 14 Chargers are embarked on CVN-72 with Embarked Air Wing 9 (CVW-9). Despite this being the only unit that operates the MH-60S in the CVW-9, the Navy has not confirmed which unit the crashed helicopter belongs to.
The MH-60S, also called the Knighthawk, was created to replace the CH-46 Sea Knight and features both the US Army UH-60L Black Hawk and the Navy's SH-60 Sea Hawk. The aircraft is used in infiltration and exfiltration of troops, transport and logistical resupply, combat search and rescue (CSAR) and close air missions, using AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, 70mm Hydra rockets and machine guns.
