US Navy helicopter crashes near CA-AZ border

by: Duncan Phenix, Russell Falcon, Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Jun 10, 2022 / 11:35 AM CDT

Updated: Jun 10, 2022 / 12:37 PM CDT

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correctly identify the Navy spokesman providing the information.

YUMA, Arizona (KLAS/NEXSTAR) — A Navy helicopter crashed north of Yuma, Arizona Thursday evening, officials say, and everyone on board survived.

Thursday night’s crash was a U.S. Navy helicopter at a training range, Naval Air Forces spokesman Cmdr. Zachary Harrell told Nexstar’s KSWB. The helicopter is assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3, which is based at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.

Based on initial reports, all four of the air crew on board survived, Harrell said, and one of them was hospitalized with a non-life-threatening injury.

In a Facebook post, the Naval base wrote, “EMERGENCY ALERT! We have received reports that a military aircraft has crashed about 35 miles north of Yuma, AZ. Federal Fire and other local first responders including Reach are headed to the scene. We have no other information at this time. As we are able to confirm information we will release it here. Please be patient as we work through this incident.”

It comes just a day after an MV-22B Osprey crashed west of Yuma, killing all five Marines onboard. The crash happened Wednesday during a training mission near Glamis, east of San Diego County. The cause of the crash is still under investigation and crews have begun equipment recovery operations, Harrell said.