US Navy helicopter crashes on board USS Ronald Reagan
 

US Navy helicopter crashes on board USS Ronald Reagan
By: Kara Fox, CNN - Updated 1429 GMT (2229 HKT) October 19, 2018
RE: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/19/a...ntl/index.html

A US Navy helicopter crashed onto the flight deck of an aircraft carrier in the Philippine Sea on Friday, injuring 12 personnel on board, according to two US Navy officials familiar with the incident.

The MH-60 Seahawk hit the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan shortly after takeoff around 9 a.m., according to a statement released by the Navy's Seventh Fleet.

Four people were injured on the helicopter and eight were injured on board the ship, according to the officials. All personnel who were hurt are in stable condition and are being evaluated by medical staff.

The Navy said that some "will be medically evacuated ashore" without specifying a location.

An investigation has been opened into the cause of the crash, according to the statement.
The incident occurred during routine operations in the Philippine Sea, which spreads north and east of the Philippines.

he aircraft carrier "remains fully mission capable" and normal flight operations to support the mission of "support and security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region" have resumed, the Navy said.

Last week the Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft participated in the International Fleet Review near South Korea's Jeju Island.

In May 2017, the USS Ronald Reagan began sea trials in the Pacific before replacing the USS Carl Vinson near the Korean Peninsula.

The 1,092-foot Reagan carries a crew of 4,539 and is equipped with roughly 60 aircraft, according to the Navy. It was commissioned in 2003 and cost about $8.5 billion.

By: CNN's Barbara Starr contributed to this report.