Update: Navy Chopper Crashes In Ocean - Navy, Coast Guard Search Called Off; One Dead, Three Missing

NBC San Diego ^ | 26 January 2007

[bd476]

NBC San Diego

Navy, Coast Guard Search Under Way

POSTED: 4:06 pm PST January 26, 2007 UPDATED: 4:24 pm PST January 26, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- A search is under way about 60 miles south of San Diego out in the sea for what is believed to be a Navy jet that went down.

Coast Guard officials told NBC 7/39 that they have sent a helicopter to the area. They also said that three Navy helicopters are also searching that area.

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Update:

Navy Chopper Crashes In Ocean

Officials said Friday afternoon that a Navy helicopter crashed earlier in the day in the sea.

According to a news release issued by Naval Air Station North Island, the MH-60S chopper that was attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 went down at about 2:45 p.m. about 50 miles off the coast of Camp Pendleton.

NAS North Island said "search and rescue efforts are ongoing."

Authorities said the helicopter was taking part in a routine training mission off the USS Bonhomme Richard when it crashed.

[bd476]

KABC TV Channel 7 Los Angeles says that it was a chopper.

KABC TV Channel 7 Los Angeles

Breaking news just announced a Navy chopper went down somewhere off the coast of San Diego approximately 2:45 p.m. A search is underway.

[Jet Jaguar]

ping.

[basil]

Prayers for all involved in this search and hopefully rescue operation.

[onyx]

Dear Lord. Prayers for all.

[bd476]

Prayers up for all.

[bd476]

Indeed, prayers going up.

[bd476]

Update:

Navy Chopper Crashes In Ocean

POSTED: 5:12 pm PST January 26, 2007

UPDATED: 5:25 pm PST January 26, 2007

SAN DIEGO -- Officials said Friday afternoon that a Navy helicopter crashed earlier in the day in the sea.

According to a news release issued by Naval Air Station North Island, the MH-60S chopper that was attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 went down at about 2:45 p.m. about 50 miles off the coast of Camp Pendleton.

NAS North Island said "search and rescue efforts are ongoing."

Authorities said the helicopter was taking part in a routine training mission off the USS Bonhomme Richard when it crashed.

Navy Chopper Crashes In Ocean

[bd476]

CBS 3 Philadelphia and Associated Press

Military Helicopter Crashes Off San Diego Coast

(AP) SAN DIEGO A military helicopter with four people aboard crashed Friday into the Pacific Ocean about 50 miles off the California coast, a Navy spokesman said.

It was unclear if there were any survivors.

The helicopter based at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado was on a training mission when it went down at 2:45 p.m., Cmdr. Jack Hanzlik said.

Military Helicopter Crashes Off San Diego Coast

[GodBlessUSA]

Sending prayers

[tubebender]

There was a teaser on the local news for upcoming story about our local Coast Guard/Navy training exercise. That is here on Humboldt Bay.

[bd476]

AP Images
Navy MH-60S

[PhiKapMom]

Prayers up!

My daughter was stationed at North Island with the air wing that Pres Bush used to fly out to the carrier. I just sent this info to her.

[OldFriend]

Prayers

[Myrddin]

Getting out of a helicopter that crashes in the water isn't pleasant. You have to wait for it to hit the water, fill with water, then invert (rotors down) before you can safely attempt the egress. I was at the aviation survival training when a young lady scheduled to serve on Marine 1 was going through that part of the training. It's tough when it's just you and the instructor. It's really bad when a there is chopper full of people is flailing and kicking between you and the egress door. That's assuming the landing was controlled and nobody was injured before the egress effort gets underway.

[aomagrat]

Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy

[A.A. Cunningham]

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23

060929-N-4774B-102 Coronado, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2006) - An establishment ceremony is held for Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two Three (HSC-23) at Naval Base Coronado. The new squadron is comprised of six expeditionary detachments that are designed to provide combat search and rescue in support of strike warfare, naval special warfare, and anti-surface ship warfare in addition to helicopter logistical support for Western Pacific and Southern California units. HSC-23 has over 50 officers and approximately 200 enlisted personnel assigned to carry out the various missions. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Daniel A. Barker (RELEASED)

070125-N-8446A-003 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Area of Responsibility (Jan. 25, 2007) - An MH-60S Seahawk assigned to the Dragon Whales of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two Eight (HSC-28) transfer cargo to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) from the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8) during an underway replenishment (UNREP). Eisenhower and embarked Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) are on a regularly scheduled deployment in support of Maritime Security Operations (MSO). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Travis Alston (RELEASED)

[El Gato]

MH-60S Knighthawk.

Note it's not the Seahawk, which is the original Navy ASW version. This one is an amalgam of Seahawk and Army Blackhawk components. Airframe is mostly the larger BlackHawk, rotor and other mechanical systems are from the SeaHawk. It replaces the CH-46 in various missions as well as performing SAR missions. )

[El Gato]

BTW, that's the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) in the background, not the Happy Dick. (USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) The squadron has detachments on many Navy ships.

[bd476]

News from the USS Bonhomme Richard yesterday:

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	070122-N-1175T-018 Pacific Ocean (Jan. 22, 2007) – A Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), assigned to Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5), maneuvers toward the well deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) to offload embarked Marines and their supplies. Bonhomme Richard and Expeditionary Strike Group Five (ESG-5) are operating off the coast of southern California. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Ryan Tabios (RELEASED)

ACE Marines Arrive Aboard BHR
Story Number: NNS070125-16
Release Date: 1/25/2007 5:56:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Dustin Mapson, USS Bonhomme Richard Public Affairs

USS BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea (NNS) -- Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 5's Aviation Combat Element (ACE) landed aircraft and loaded personnel and equipment on the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) (BHR) Jan. 20.

Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 163 (Reinforced) embarked BHR off the coast of Southern California, conducting at-sea evolutions as part of the Expeditionary Strike Group Integration (ESGINT) exercise.

ACE Commanding Officer, Marine Lt. Col. Brent Willson, said the first priority during this underway is getting his pilots qualified for carrier flight operations.

“The majority of my guys have never been on a ship before,” Willson said. “Once we get them qualified for carrier flight operations we can move on and start conducting real world operations."

“There are basically three important stages to our preparation for the upcoming deployment,” added Willson. “This at sea period can be looked at as the crawl phase of our training. COMPTUEX (Composite Training Unit Exercise) will be the walk phase of training, and then we will move immediately into the sprint during JTFX (Joint Task Force Exercise).”

Marine Master Gunnery Sgt. Gary Ragat, the ACE maintenance chief, said the underway will be beneficial to all the Marines on board BHR.

"Most of the pilots and Marines have extensive experience in the desert from previous tours during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom,” said Ragat. “But this is their first time on a ship conducting combat operations at sea.”

During ESGINT, special operations capable Marines attached to the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, will perform a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) of a targeted vessel as a training exercise. A variety of aircraft from the ACE will assist in the VBSS.

Marine Capt. James Hoffmann, a helicopter pilot with the ACE, said a VBSS is one of the last resorts in terms of detaining a vessel.

“If we are called in to board a ship it means every last option has been expended and we are now forced to physically board the vessel,” said Hoffman. “By the time we put Marines on the deck of a suspected vessel it means all other means of indirect intervention have failed.”

Hoffman said the VBSS will involve a variety of aircraft, and incorporates intelligence and operational support from ships and personnel across the ESG.

BHR Commanding Officer, Capt. Steve Greene, said the goal of ESGINT is to prepare the Navy and Marine Corps team of ESG 5 to work together.

“ESGINT is our first opportunity in nearly two years to work with a full ACE embarked,” said Greene. “For our flight and hangar deck crews, it’s very much like a golfer spending time on the driving range. The training we’re doing now will increase the probability that we’ll hit the fairway during COMPTUEX, JTFEX and deployment - doing our part to ensure the ACE can execute safe, timely and effective air combat operations.”

BHR and ESG 5 are currently underway off the coast of Southern California training to conduct sustained combat operations at sea in preparation for an upcoming deployment.

ACE Marines Arrive Aboard BHR

[A.A. Cunningham]

I'm well aware of that. The point of posting that picture from the establishment ceremony was to iterate that this is a relatively new squadron; less than six months in existence. You obviously didn't pick up on that.