6 Dead, 1 Missing as Copter Rescue Mission Goes Awry

A merchant freighter steamed toward Honolulu today after a U.S. Air Force helicopter trying to evacuate a sick seaman from the ship crashed on the vessel, killing six helicopter crewmen and leaving a seventh missing and presumed dead, authorities said.

The HH-53 helicopter was attempting to airlift a crew member from the Panamanian ship to a hospital when the copter slammed onto the deck and started a fire. The ship was 540 miles north of Honolulu, Air Force spokesman Sgt. Paul Chute said.

The fire aboard the ship, the Asian Beauty, was brought under control but wreckage of the helicopter littered the deck.

Another Air Force helicopter took the bodies of two of the deceased crewmen to Oahu for identification Tuesday night. They were taken to the Army mortuary at the Coast Guard station at Sand Beach.

“The names will be released when positive identification is made and next of kin are notified,” Air Force Capt. Kevin Krejcarek said.

Of the missing copter crewman, Krejcarek said, “I suspect (he) is still on board.” He said a language barrier with the crewmen on the Panamanian ship “has been somewhat of an obstacle in confirming this man’s condition.”

The Asian Beauty was expected to reach Honolulu with the other four bodies Thursday.

Meanwhile, the ailing seaman was described as being in stable condition and further evacuation attempts from the Asian Beauty were called off.