US Navy helicopter crashes off San Diego coast, Pacific Fleet says

The flight deck aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).  (US NAVY FILE PHOTO)

A military helicopter took off from the USS Abraham Lincoln and later crashed into the sea leading to search-and-rescue operations off the coast of San Diego, the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet said on Tuesday.

“An MH-60S helicopter embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) crashed into the sea while conducting routine flight operations approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, Aug. 31,” the Pacific Fleet said in a message on Twitter.

“Search and rescue operations are ongoing with multiple Coast Guard and Navy air and surface assets,” the message said.

UPDATE 1: Currently, one crewmember has been rescued and search efforts continue for the other crewmembers of an MH-60S helicopter embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) that crashed into the sea off the coast of San Diego, Aug. 31: https://t.co/4O9iDV1jNx (1/2)

— U.S. Pacific Fleet (@USPacificFleet) September 1, 2021

The U.S. Navy Third Fleet said one crew member had been rescued. NBC 7 San Diego reported that five people were still unaccounted for.