TOKYO—An U.S. Navy helicopter crashed on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan on Oct. 19, causing nonfatal injuries to sailors, the Navy said.
The Navy’s 7th Fleet said in a statement that the MH-60 Seahawk crashed shortly after takeoff Friday morning while the carrier was off the Philippine coast.
All affected sailors were in stable condition and their injuries were nonlife-threatening, the Navy said. It didn’t say how many sailors were hurt. It said some of them would be examined and treated after they reach the shore, though officials did not specify the destination.
The Navy did not give details on any damage to the helicopter or the ship. But it said the ship was fully capable of conducting its mission for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The aircraft carrier has also resumed flight training.
The Navy said the crash occurred while the Ronald Reagan Strike Group was conducting routine operations in the Philippine Sea, which spreads north and northeast of the Philippines. The cause was under investigation.
The USS Ronald Reagan participated in the international naval review hosted off the South Korean island of Jeju last week.
