US Navy suspends SAR effort following helicopter crash in Arabian Sea

After more than 102 hours of continuous search and rescue efforts covering over 14,000 square miles (36,000 square kilometres), the US Navy has suspended search efforts in the Arabian Sea in an attempt to locate the crewmember of an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter that crashed into the water earlier this month.

The extensive search for the missing crewmember involved ships and aircraft from two carrier strike groups, two patrol and reconnaissance squadrons flying P-8A Poseidon aircraft, and multiple US Air Force aircraft.

The navy has identified Commander Gabriel Edwards, commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Five (HSC-5), as the missing crewmember following a helicopter’s emergency landing in the Arabian Sea on the morning (local time) of July 1.