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

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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.

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.

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