Two MH-60S Knight Hawk attached to the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12 conduct flight operations from the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) during Carrier Strike Group Exercise 2022 in the Philippine Sea on June 2, 2022. U.S. Navy Photo
The Navy has rescued the four crew members of a helicopter that crashed in California on Thursday, according to the service. During flight training in El Centro, Calif., an MH-60S from the “Merlins” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 went down at about 6 p.m., Naval Air Forces said in a news release.
“This evening at approximately 6 p.m., an MH-60S Seahawk crashed near El Centro, Calif. while conducting a routine training flight from Naval Air Facility El Centro. All four of the aircrew on board survived the crash and have been safely recovered,” the Navy said.
“One of the aircrew has suffered non-life threatening injuries and has been transported to a local hospital. The helicopter was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3, based at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.”
The crash happened one day after a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft crashed in Southern California, northeast of El Centro, killing all five Marines aboard.
The MV-22B was part of Marine Aircraft Group 39, based out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. The Osprey crashed Wednesday afternoon during training in the Southern California desert. The Marine Corps is investigating the crash.
The following is the complete Thursday statement from Naval Air Forces.
Navy Helicopter crashes near El Centro, Calif.; all 4 air crew survived
SAN DIEGO – This evening at approximately 6 p.m., an MH-60S Seahawk crashed near El Centro, Calif. while conducting a routine training flight from Naval Air Facility El Centro. All four of the air crew on board survived the crash and have been safely recovered. One of the aircrew has suffered non-life threatening injuries and has been transported to a local hospital. The helicopter was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3, based at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
