The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan has resumed flight operations following a Friday crash of an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter on the carrier’s flight deck, according to a statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.
Reagan was operating in the Philippine Sea when the Seahawk made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff at about 9:00 A.M. local time.
“Service members injured in the crash are in stable condition for non-life threatening injuries that ranged from minor abrasions and lacerations to fractures,” according to the Navy. “The most seriously injured were medically evacuated off the ship to a hospital in the Philippines while remaining injured are under evaluation by Ronald Reagan medical staff.”
Four aircrew were aboard the Seahawk and 12 sailors were injured in the crash, according to a report in Stars and Stripes.
The helicopter was assigned to the “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77, attached to Carrier Air Wing 5 and based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.
Reagan left its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan on Aug. 14, 2018 for a Western Pacific deployment. Last week, the carrier visited the South Korean island of Jeju as part of a fleet review.
The following is the complete Oct. 19, 2018 statement from U.S. 7th Fleet.
PHILIPPINE SEA — The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) resumed flight operations after an MH-60R Seahawk assigned to the “Saberhawks” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 made an emergency landing and crashed on the ship’s flight deck shortly after takeoff at approximately 9:00 a.m., Oct. 19.
The cause of the mishap is under investigation.
Servicemembers injured in the crash are in stable condition for non-life threatening injuries that ranged from minor abrasions and lacerations to fractures. The most seriously injured were medically evacuated off the ship to a hospital in the Philippines, while remaining injured are under evaluation by Ronald Reagan medical staff.
Families of the injured were notified in accordance with Navy policy.
At the time of the mishap, the Ronald Reagan Strike Group was conducting routine operations in the Philippine Sea.
The Ronald Reagan Strike Group is forward-deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.
