U.S. Fifth Fleet: Search for missing helicopter crew member suspended
In this handout photo obtained from the U.S. Defence Department, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sails alongside Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) and Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE 7) in the Arabian Sea, Feb. 6, 2026. (Handout photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Jesse Monford/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
OAN Staff Addie Davis
11:50 AM – Sunday, July 5, 2026
The United States Central Command (NAVCENT), which oversees the U.S. Fifth Fleet, announced that the Navy has suspended its search for a missing crew member of a military helicopter that went down in the Arabian Sea.
On Wednesday, a Sea Hawk helicopter conducted an emergency landing, with three of the four crew members rescued shortly after. The fourth crew member, whose name will not be released until at least 24 hours after next of kin are notified, was reported missing, prompting a large-scale search.
However, the active search ended on Sunday, NAVCENT said.
The rescue efforts had spanned thousands of miles for more than four days, with multiple helicopter squadrons, aircraft and ships involved in the search, the command said.
“The efforts concluded following an extensive search by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility,” NAVCENT stated.
“For more than 102 hours, an extensive and coordinated search and rescue effort spanning over 14,000 square miles was conducted,” it continued.
The U.S. Navy suspended the active search for a Sailor assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 embarked aboard aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), effective 3:00p.m. AST on July 5, 2026. The Sailor was reported missing July 1st, after an MH-60S helicopter…
— U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (@US5thFleet) July 5, 2026
The Navy did not provide additional details about the incident but previously said it was under investigation and that there was “no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action.”
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