Navy Calls Off Search For Crew Of Helicopter

The Navy on Saturday ended its search for the crew of a helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic during a training flight.

The HH-60H Seahawk helicopter, operating out of Mayport, Fla., was based on the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy and participating in a joint task force exercise when it went down late Thursday 23 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras.

The accident’s cause remained under investigation, said C. Patrick Dooling, public affairs officer at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla.

The search for the aircraft and its four crew members was hampered by rough weather. At the time of the crash, wind was blowing at 30 to 35 mph and seas in the area were about 5 feet, the National Weather Service said.

Crew members of the missing helicopter were identified as Lt. Cmdr. Joseph F. King of Orange Park, Fla., Lt. Christopher D. Buckley of Hampton, N.Y., Chief Petty Officer Andrew K. Baker of Middleburg, Fla., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Edward J. Kos of Jacksonville, Fla.