TO CLOSE

The aircraft carrier provides security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.
UNITED STATES TODAY & # 39; HUI

Spectators watch USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier of the US Navy's Nimitz class sail during the International Fleet Review in the Sea of ​​Seogwipo, off the island of Jeju, South Korea, October 11, 2018.(Photo: JEON HEON-KYUN, EPA-EFE)

A number of sailors were injured Friday when a US Navy helicopter crashed on the flight deck of the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in the Philippine Sea.

The 7th Fleet of the US Navy stated in a statement that the MH-60 Seahawk "landed and crashed" shortly after takeoff around 9 am local time, while the carrier was conducting routine off the Philippines.

The statement does not say how many sailors were injured. The spokesman of Cmdr. Matt Knight said 12 people were wounded, according to a military newspaper Stars and stripes reported. Knight said four crew members of the plane were aboard the helicopter when it crashed, according to Stars and Stripes.

The Navy stated that the casualties were in a stable condition and did not pose a life-threatening hazard, ranging from abrasions and minor fracture lacerations.

The most serious wounded would have been evacuated to a hospital in the Philippines, while the others were being assessed by the carrier's doctors.

"The cause of the accident is the subject of an investigation," said the 7th Fleet Communiqué. The aircraft carrier has resumed air operations, the statement added.

Last week, the USSR Ronald Reagan took part in the International Naval Review off Jeju, a South Korean island.

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