Navy Copter Down in Gulf; 1 Dies, 3 Sought
A Navy SH-3G King helicopter on a routine ferry flight crashed into the Persian Gulf today, killing one and leaving three others missing, the Pentagon said.
Five other men aboard the chopper were rescued, the Pentagon added.
Pentagon sources said the helicopter had been attempting to land on the command ship LaSalle when it crashed at 5:58 p.m. The helicopter was said to have been on a routine flight from a land base to the LaSalle, the command ship of the Mideast Task Force, ferrying equipment and personnel.
At the time of the accident, the LaSalle and the destroyer Kidd were steaming on routine patrol in the central Persian Gulf, the Pentagon said.
The Pentagon and the U.S. Central Command, which oversees the task force, said in a statement: “The Navy is continuing its search for the missing men. The names of the dead and missing are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
“The Kidd, which was operating in the area with the LaSalle, immediately launched its SH-2 Sea Spirit helicopter” and the Kidd and LaSalle headed for the sinking aircraft.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
