The U.S. Navy has suspended its search for a crew member missing since an MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea on Wednesday.
Three other crew members on board the helicopter were rescued shortly after the aircraft made an emergency landing in the water on July 1, during a routine patrol. The rescued sailors were reported to be in stable condition aboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush.
Military officials have stated that the helicopter crash was not the result of hostile fire, and the cause of the incident is currently under investigation. The Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, confirmed that Navy and Air Force personnel conducted an extensive search covering over 14,000 square miles for more than 100 hours before concluding the rescue operation.
The identity of the deceased sailor is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. This incident marks the latest in a series of service member casualties. Previously, six service members were killed on March 1 by an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait's Shuaiba port, and another service member died on March 8 following an attack by Iran on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, six Air Force personnel were killed on March 12 when two KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft collided in midair over western Iraq.
According to the U.S. military's Central Command, more than 400 U.S. service members have been injured in the ongoing conflict. However, Captain Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesman, noted that over 90 percent of those injured have since returned to duty.
