The U.S. Navy has suspended the search for a sailor who went missing after an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter made an emergency water landing in the Arabian Sea, officials said, concluding more than 102 hours of rescue operations across a vast stretch of ocean.
The helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 and embarked aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, went down early July 1 during operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Three of the four crew members were recovered shortly after the aircraft entered the water and were reported in stable condition aboard the carrier. The fourth sailor was not found.
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said the active search was suspended after an extensive, coordinated effort by Navy and Air Force units. Crews covered more than 14,000 square miles. The operation included aircraft and personnel from the George H.W. Bush and USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups, several Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and additional Air Force assets.
The Navy said there was no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.
The missing sailor’s name was withheld pending notification of next of kin, in accordance with Navy policy. Officials did not immediately provide a public timeline for further identification or for any memorial arrangements.
The scale of the search reflected both the difficulty of locating a person in open ocean and the concentration of U.S. naval forces already operating in the region. Helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and surface ships worked the search area around the clock before commanders determined that continued rescue operations were no longer viable.
Three recovered crew members were last described as stable, though the Navy did not release detailed medical updates in its announcement ending the search. Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances of the water landing, including aircraft performance, weather, operational conditions and crew actions.
Officials urged the public to rely on verified Navy and Central Command statements rather than unverified accounts circulating online. As with other at-sea aviation mishaps, early information is often limited while families are notified and the investigation begins.
There is no public estimate for when a final determination will be issued. For now, the Navy has closed the rescue phase of the operation and shifted to investigation and family support. Additional details are expected once next-of-kin notifications are complete and investigators establish a clearer account of what caused the helicopter to go down.
