Search for crew of Navy helicopter that crashed into the Pacific enters third day

Search and rescue efforts continued Friday for five crewmembers of a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter that crashed into the Pacific Ocean Tuesday afternoon while conducting operations off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln.

Few new details were available on the search mission Friday, but a Facebook post by the San Diego-based U.S. 3rd Fleet indicated that the effort continued.

One crewmember was rescued Tuesday, officials said.

The mishap happened at about 4:30 p.m. local time Tuesday, roughly 60 miles off San Diego.

Abraham Lincoln was at sea conducting carrier qualifications for fighter jets.

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.

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Helicopter embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln crashes into the Pacific

One crewmember had been rescued as of about 10 p.m. Pacific Standard Time Tuesday, but five remained missing.

By Geoff Ziezulewicz

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.

An investigation into the mishap is underway.

Correction: an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the name of the helicopter. It is a Sea Hawk.

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