Four people were injured on Monday after a Coast Guard helicopter crashed during a training flight near Harbor Mountain in Sitka, Alaska.
The MH-60 Jayhawk had taken off from Coast Guard Air Station Sitka when it crashed. The Coast Guard said the four injured were crew members of the Jayhawk and were transported to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center. Rescuers arrived at around 11 a.m. local time, roughly an hour after the Arctic District command center received the first reports of the crash.
Recommended Stories
The Coast Guard said the crash is under investigation.
The U.S. military has experienced more aircraft incidents than usual in recent months, the worst being the crash of a B-52 Stratofortress bomber in California, killing eight people on board.
The uptick in aircraft crashes can largely be attributed to increased stress and usage due to the war in Iran, which became the most intensive air campaign in modern history. Monday’s crash falls outside of this, however, as the Coast Guard wasn’t significantly involved in the war.
EIGHT DEAD, INCLUDING TWO BOEING EMPLOYEES, AFTER B-52 STRATOFORTRESS CRASHES IN CALIFORNIA
The loss of the MH-60 Jayhawk is a notable blow to the Coast Guard, given the aircraft’s relative rarity. Lockheed Martin said recently that the Coast Guard operates 51 of the aircraft, meaning the number is down to 50.
The helicopter has proven its worth in rescue operations, saving 13,000 lives since entering service in 1990, according to the company.
