U.S. Navy Helicopter Crew Rescued After Emergency Landing in Arabian Sea

Three out of four crew members of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter were rescued after making an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea. U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported the incident occurred early Wednesday morning.

The search continues for the fourth crew member. There is no evidence suggesting the helicopter was downed by hostile action.

The helicopter was part of the USS George H.W. Bush fleet. The three rescued members are now in stable condition on the carrier. The search operation involves U.S. naval assets in the region for the missing aircrewman.

The emergency occurred around 3:30 a.m. Eastern time, which aligns with approximately 11 a.m. locally. A file photo of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter accompanies stories like these but does not depict this specific incident.

The USS George H.W. Bush has maintained a presence in the Middle East since late April. It is one of only two aircraft carriers in the region. Despite the U.S. lifting its blockade on vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, military forces remain active in the area.

At the last update given to Congress in mid-May, Operation Epic Fury reported a total loss of 42 aircraft, both fixed-wing and rotary. An additional incident involved a U.S. Apache helicopter downed by an Iranian drone in early June. The crew of that helicopter was also successfully rescued. This event led to subsequent U.S. self-defense strikes on Iranian positions.