5 Missing, 1 Rescued After Navy Helicopter Crashes Into Sea Off San Diego Coast

Officials say MH-60S had taken off from USS Abraham Lincoln. As of 9 p.m., one crew member had been rescued and five are unaccounted for

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Search-and-rescue operations are underway about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego for five crew members who were on board a military helicopter that crashed into the sea.

Multiple Coast Guard and Navy air and surface resources are taking part in the search for the crew of the MH-60S helicopter, which officials said went down on Tuesday at about 4:30 p.m. PT.

MH-60 USS Abraham Lincoln
U.S. Navy
In this Sept. 2018 file photo, MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters depart the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in the Atlantic Ocean.

U.S. Navy Third Fleet spokesperson Lt. Sam Boyle confirmed one crew member had been rescued as of 9 p.m. As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, five crew members were still unaccounted for.

The rescued crew member's condition is unknown.

Military officials said the 64-foot aircraft, which weighs a little over seven tons when it's empty, crashed during "routine flight operations." The helicopter is assigned to USS Abraham Lincoln, a Nimitz class aircraft carrier homeported at Naval Air Station North Island, on Coronado.

NBC 7 military reporter Bridget Naso has more on USS Lincoln.


Check back here for updates on this breaking news story.

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