A U.S. Navy helicopter went down in the Arabian Sea early Wednesday, July 1, 2026, after an emergency water landing, leaving one crew member missing and three others rescued, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said.
The aircraft was an MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush, the Navy said. The incident happened at about 3:30 a.m. Eastern time, which would have been about 11 a.m. local time.
Three of the four crew members were recovered and were in stable condition aboard the George H.W. Bush, while Navy assets in the region continued searching for the missing aircrewman.
Navy Helicopter Search Continues In Arabian Sea
The Navy said there was “no indication” the emergency was caused by hostile action. The cause of the incident remained under investigation.
The service did not immediately release the missing crew member’s name. No additional details were immediately provided on the condition of the rescued crew members beyond the Navy’s statement that they were stable aboard the carrier.
The search is unfolding in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, where the George H.W. Bush has been operating in the region. Official U.S. military imagery from June 16 showed the carrier sailing in the Arabian Sea while deployed to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East.
MH-60S Sea Hawk Was Assigned To George H.W. Bush
The MH-60S Sea Hawk involved in the emergency landing was assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, also identified by its hull number CVN 77.
The Navy’s MH-60S Seahawk fact file lists the aircraft’s missions as including search and rescue, personnel recovery, medical evacuation, vertical replenishment, logistics and special warfare support.
Recent U.S. Navy photos show MH-60S Sea Hawks attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 operating from the George H.W. Bush in the Arabian Sea before the incident. One June 16 image showed an MH-60S taking off from the carrier while it sailed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
No Hostile Action Indicated
The Navy’s statement that there was no indication of hostile action is a key detail because the incident occurred during continued U.S. military operations in the Middle East. Officials did not announce a cause and said the matter was under investigation.
Military Times also reported that the helicopter had four crew members aboard and that one U.S. Navy aircrewman remained missing after the emergency water landing.
Stars and Stripes reported that Carrier Air Wing 7 operates from the George H.W. Bush and that the “Nightdippers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 fly the MH-60S variant.
Carrier Remains In Middle East Waters
Official DVIDS imagery posted by U.S. Central Command Public Affairs showed the George H.W. Bush in the Arabian Sea on June 16, with the caption stating that the carrier was deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
Another DVIDS image from June 21 showed a sailor maintaining the rotor blades of an MH-60S Sea Hawk aboard the carrier while it sailed in the same area of responsibility.
The Navy had not announced whether the helicopter was recovered or lost as of the initial reports. The search for the missing crew member remained active.
