The US Navy has stopped the search for a sailor missing after the MH-60S helicopter crash in the Arabian Sea after four days. This campaign lasted for more than 102 hours. Three of the four crew members of the helicopter were rescued safely.
Manama [बहरीन]July 6 (ANI): The US Navy has suspended the active search for a missing sailor after more than four days of extensive search and rescue operations. The Navy said in an official statement that the sailor was aboard the MH-60S helicopter that crashed in the Arabian Sea last week.
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. The sailor, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, deployed aboard Bush (CVN 77), went missing after the helicopter crashed on July 1. The search was officially suspended at 3:00 pm Arab Standard Time on 5 July. “The U.S. Navy has suspended the active search for a Sailor from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77),” the statement said.
The Navy further said that “in accordance with Navy policy, the sailor’s identity is being kept secret until 24 hours have passed after notifying next of kin.”
Search operation conducted in 14,000 square miles
According to the Navy, the search lasted more than 102 hours and covered more than 14,000 square miles in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The operation involved a wide range of US naval and air assets, including the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln, several helicopter squadrons, Carrier Air Wings 7 and 9, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross, USS Donald Cook, USS Higgins, USS Mason and USS John Finn, two P-8 Poseidon squadrons, and numerous U.S. Air Force aircraft.
Emergency landing took place in the Arabian Sea
Earlier on July 1 (local time), the USS George H.W. The US Navy has launched a search for the missing crew member after an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Captain Bush (CVN 77) made an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea. In a post on X, the US 5th Fleet said, “At 3:30 a.m. ET on July 1, the aircrew of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) made an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea.”
At the time the US military said there was “no indication” that the helicopter had been shot down by enemy action. “There is no indication that this emergency was caused by any enemy action,” the Navy said.
Three members were rescued safely
During the search operation, three of the four crew members of the helicopter were rescued and were later reported to be in stable condition. “Three of the helicopter’s four crew members have been rescued and are in stable condition aboard the George H.W. Bush,” it said.
US deployment in West Asia
According to CBS News, the USS George H.W. Bush is one of two US aircraft carriers deployed to the Middle East since late April. CBS News reported that according to the last update given to the US Congress in mid-May, the US military had lost 42 fixed-wing or rotary aircraft during ‘Operation Epic Fury’, the military campaign launched against Iran in late February. Earlier in June, a US Apache helicopter was shot down by an Iranian drone, but both crew members were rescued. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)