Five Missing as US Navy Helicopter Crashes off California Coast

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Five Missing as US Navy Helicopter Crashes off California Coast
By: The Defense Post News - 09-01-21
Re: https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/...icopter-crash/

Photo link: https://www.thedefensepost.com/wp-co...-109174537.jpg
Old photo of the aircraft: US Marines refuel a CH-53 helicopter at camp Dwyer, Gamser in Helmand Province on February 16, 2011. Photo: Adek Berry/AFP/Getty Images

Search and rescue operations were underway for five crew members missing after a US Navy helicopter crashed into the sea off the coast of California, the US Pacific Fleet said on Tuesday.

One crew member had been rescued but five were missing, the navy fleet said in a statement.

The MH-60S helicopter took off from the USS Abraham Lincoln during “routine flight operations” about 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego at 4:30 pm (2330 GMT), the fleet said.

Report read as follows:
U.S. Pacific Fleet
@USPacificFleet
BREAKING: 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. (1/2)
9:48 PM · Aug 31, 2021

“Search and rescue operations are ongoing with multiple Coast Guard and Navy air and surface assets,” it added.

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Personal note:
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Let's hope for the best and any survivor's!?
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Boats

[Boats]

Navy identifies 5 sailors who died in helicopter crash
By: Geoff Ziezulewicz - NavyTimes News - 09-05-21
Re: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-...20Bird%20Brief

Photo's of those lost:
Re: https://www.navytimes.com/resizer/V9...FB6J4NOJQ4.jpg

The Navy has identified five sailors killed Aug. 31 when their MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8 on board the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln crashed into the Pacific Ocean approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego. The crewmembers are, from top left: Lt. Bradley A. Foster, pilot; Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns; and Lt. Paul R. Fridley, pilot. And, from bottom left: Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class James P. Buriak and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker. (Navy)

The Navy has identified five sailors who died when their helicopter crashed into the Pacific Ocean Tuesday.

They are:

♦ Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Bailey J. Tucker, 21.

♦ Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Sarah F. Burns, 31.

♦ Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class James P. Buriak, 31.

♦ Lt. Paul R. Fridley, 28.

♦ Lt. Bradley A. Foster, 29.

The MH-60S Knighthawk, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 8, was operating off the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln 60 nautical miles from San Diego when it crashed at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

A sixth unidentified crewmember was rescued later that day.

Officials have yet to disclose what caused the crash, but five sailors on the deck of Abraham Lincoln were also injured in the mishap, two of whom had to be evacuated off the ship.

U.S. 3rd Fleet officials said Wednesday that the helicopter was “operating on deck before crashing into the sea.”

An investigation is underway.

Originally from St. Louis, Tucker arrived at HSC-8 in late June, his first assignment out of training, according to the Navy.

Burns hailed from Severna Park, Maryland, and had been with the squadron since November.

Buriak was a Salem, Virginia, native, and had been assigned to the unit for nearly three years.

One of the two pilots, Fridley, was from Annandale, Virginia, and arrived at the squadron in 2018, his first assignment out of training.

The other pilot, Foster, was originally from Oakhurst, California, and had been with HSC-8 since January 2019.

About this writer: Geoff is a senior staff reporter for Military Times, focusing on the Navy. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was most recently a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

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Personal note: Our respects to the Family and Friends of those lost at sea.
Let's see what the next report say's about the cause of failure and get that remedied.
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Boats