San Diego
A Navy helicopter on a training mission crashed into the ocean south of San Clemente Island Wednesday morning, critically injuring a crew member from San Diego and leaving one man missing, the Navy reported.
The search continued into the night Wednesday for Lt. (j.g.) Walter S. Hogan, who was lost after the Navy SH-2F helicopter went down about 35 miles south of the island, the Navy said. Hogan, 27, lives in Tucson, Ariz., but he and his wife have been staying in San Diego during his assignment at North Island Naval Air Station, Navy spokesman Ken Mitchell said.
Lt. Mark S. Eoff, 33, of East San Diego was taken to the Navy Hospital in Balboa Park in critical condition, Mitchell said. Two other crewmen were also taken to the hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. They were identified as Technician 3rd Class John C. Santana, 22, of Bronx, N.Y., and Technical Airman Steven P. Zelasco, 21, of Virginia, Minn.
The aircraft, assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 35 was on a training mission.
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