Search Continues for Crew After USN Copter Crash Near San Diego

SAN DIEGO - Search-and-rescue efforts continued Thursday for five military personnel who went missing on Wednesday when a U.S. Navy helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of San Diego.

One sailor aboard the MH-60S Knighthawk was pulled from the ocean after the aircraft went down roughly 60 nautical miles from shore about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday while its six-member crew was engaging in routine flight operations off the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln, according to USN public affairs.
The rescued sailor and two others who were hurt in the accident while aboard the San Diego-based aircraft carrier were taken ashore for medical care in stable condition. Another three personnel suffered minor injuries and remained on the ship, officials said.
A military investigation is underway into what caused the crash of the aircraft, which was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 at Naval Air Station North Island. Navy officials said only that it "was operating on deck before crashing into the sea."

City News Service contributed to this report.