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An U.S. Navy helicopter crashed on the flight deck of the USSR Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier Friday morning, US service members injuring a dozen.
The Navy's 7th Fleet said in a statement the MH-60 Seahawk assigned to the "Saberhawks" of Maritime Helicopter Strike Squadron 77 crashed shortly after takeoff Friday while the carrier was off the Philippine coast.
The Navy said all affected sailors were in stable condition and their injuries were non-life threatening. "Injuries ranged from minor abrasions and lacerations to bone fractures," Lt. Joe Keiley, spokesman for 7th Fleet told Task & Purpose. "The sailors who had the most extensive injuries were medically evacuated to a hospital in the Philippines."
The Navy did not give details to the helicopter or the aircraft carrier, but said the ship was fully capable to conduct its mission for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The Reagan Ronald has already resumed flight operations.
The Navy said the Ronald Reagan Strike Group was conducting routine operations in the Philippine Sea. The cause was under investigation.
The Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier, recently participated in an international fleet review in South Korea.
