USA: SAR Efforts for MH-60S Aircrew Suspended

Search and rescue (SAR) efforts for the remaining two crew members involved in a U.S. Navy MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter crash were suspended Sept. 23 at approximately 3 p.m. Bahrain time.

Navy officials have concluded that given the time elapsed since the incident, aircrew survivability was extremely unlikely. The location of the crash site is known, and an extensive area has been searched multiple times by various ships and aircraft.

The Knighthawk helicopter, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6, crashed in the central Red Sea Sept. 22, after conducting a landing on the deck of guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) at approximately 12:40 p.m. Bahrain time.

The following assisted in the search and rescue: USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), USS Princeton (CG 59), USS Shoup (DDG 86), USS Stockdale (DDG 106) and USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) as well as MH-60S Knighthawks from HSC-6, MH-60R Sea Hawks from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 and several P-3s from Patrol Squadron (VP) 47 and a U.S. Air Force HC-130.

The crash was not due to any sort of hostile activity.

The Navy is currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

Names of the service members are currently being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.

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Press Release, September 24, 2013; Image: US Navy