US navy suspends search for missing sailor after helicopter emergency landing in Arabian Sea
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The United States Navy has suspended its search for a sailor who went missing following an emergency water landing by an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter in the Arabian Sea.
The decision was announced after more than 102 hours of coordinated rescue operations covering over 14,000 square miles.
The incident occurred on July 1, around 3:30 AM local time, when the helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), conducted an emergency landing.
Three other crew members were rescued and returned to the carrier in stable condition. No indications of hostile action were reported.
The efforts involved extensive resources from the US Navy and US Air Force within the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.
Participating units included helicopters from HSC 5 and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46, fixed-wing aircraft from Carrier Air Wings 7 and 9, assets from the USS Abraham Lincoln and its squadrons, multiple Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
US Naval Forces Central Command stated that the active search concluded effective 3:00 p.m. AST on July 5.
The sailor’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin, in accordance with Navy policy.
The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
