5 Missing After Navy Helicopter Crashes Off San Diego Coast

A U.S. Navy helicopter crashed off the coast of San Diego Tuesday afternoon (August 31), leaving five people unaccounted for so far, ABC News reports.

"An MH-60S helicopter embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) crashed into the sea while conducting routine flight operations approximately 60 nautical miles off the coast of San Diego at 4:30 p.m. PST, Aug. 31," the Navy's 3rd Fleet said in a statement.

Reporters learned from the U.S. Coast Guard that a crew member has been rescued since the crash happened. Coast Guard and Navy search crews are still looking for the missing people in the air and sea.

The helicopter is used for missions such as combat search and rescue, special warfare support, and airborne mine countermeasures, The San Diego Times wrote. While these helicopters usually carry a crew of three to four, there's been no word from the Navy about how many people were on the aircraft at the time of the incident.

The Abraham Lincoln's homeport is in San Diego, the Navy said. Capt. Amy Bauernschmidt, the first woman to command a U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier, took over command of the helicopter nearly two weeks before the accident.

Some wild aircraft crashes have happened in the West so far this year. Two people managed to survive a plane crash near Washington State back in April.