Probe Underway after Navy MH-60R Crashes Into San Diego Bay

The mishap occurred during a routine training mission, service officials said.

An MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, from the “Battlecats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73, takes off from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) on May 17, 2022. [Courtesy: U.S. Navy]

All crewmembers on board a U.S. Navy MH-60R Seahawk were rescued Thursday after the anti-submarine helicopter crashed into San Diego Bay, according to the service.

The aircraft was assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 41, a unit that trains MH-60R pilots at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego. The incident occurred shortly before 7 p.m. PST off the shore of Coronado, California, during a routine training mission, according to Navy officials.

"Due to the nature of the training, a safety boat was on location and, with the assistance of Federal Fire, all six crewmembers survived and were promptly moved ashore," Navy Commander Beth Teach said in a statement, according to a local news report. 

All personnel on board the Seahawk are undergoing medical evaluation, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash, the Navy said.

Kimberly is managing editor of FLYING Digital.

Sign-up for newsletters & special offers!

Get the latest FLYING stories & special offers delivered directly to your inbox