US Navy Helicopter Crashes Off San Diego Coast: One Crew Member Rescued

A US Navy helicopter has crashed in the ocean off Southern California during a routine flight from an aircraft carrier, military officials say.

One crew member was rescued, with the search and rescue operation still ongoing for the other crew members who are unaccounted for.

The MH-60S helicopter, based on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, crashed on Tuesday afternoon (local time) about 60 nautical miles off San Diego, the US Pacific Fleet said on Twitter.

The crash happened while the aircraft was "conducting routine flight operations", the US Navy confirmed.

At least one crew member was rescued on Tuesday night, according to a US Pacific Fleet update on Twitter.

It is unclear how many people were on the helicopter with search and rescue operations still ongoing with multiple Coast Guard and US Navy air and surface assets.

The MH-60S is a versatile aircraft that typically carries a crew of four and is used in missions including combat support, humanitarian disaster relief and search and rescue.

Cover image: MH-60S Sea Hawk takes off from the USS Jackson flight deck last month (Picture: US Department of Defense).