Coast Guard helicopter crashes during training in Alaska: four crew survive
The authorities confirmed that there were no deaths and opened an investigation to determine the causes of the accident.
A United States Coast Guard helicopter crashed this Monday during a training mission in the state of Alaska, leaving its four occupants injured, although there were no fatalities.
The aircraft, an MH-60 Jayhawk, went down in a sparsely populated area near Harbor Mountain, on the outskirts of Sitka, in the southeast of the state, according to the Coast Guard Arctic District.
The incident was reported shortly after 10:00 a.m. (local time) to the Arctic District command center.
The four crew members were taken to a hospital.
Emergency crews from Sitka Fire and Rescue responded to the scene around 11:00 a.m. to assist in rescue efforts.
All four crew members were taken to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center for medical attention. Authorities did not release specific details about their condition, although they later indicated they survived with minor injuries.
“The safety, well-being and rescue of our crew members are our absolute and immediate priority,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
For his part, Rear Admiral Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District, stated that the institution feels “incredibly relieved” because the occupants managed to survive the accident.
Investigation underway to determine causes
So far, the causes that caused the helicopter to crash have not been revealed.
The Coast Guard confirmed that a formal investigation will be carried out to establish the circumstances of the incident.
The accident occurs in a context of several air incidents recorded this month in the United States. These include the crash of an executive jet on a highway in Laredo, Texas, which left one person dead, as well as other recent accidents reported in California and Missouri.

