US: Navy helicopter with 5 aboard goes down off Virginia coast

The Associated Press
A U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter lands at Tainan air force base in southern Taiwan August 18, 2009. (REUTERS)

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The U.S. Coast Guard says a Navy helicopter with five aboard has gone down in the Atlantic about 18 miles (28 kilometres) off the Virginia coast.

Petty Officer David Weydert says the helicopter was reported down about 1600 GMT Wednesday. He said there was no immediate word on any casualties.

Weydert said two Coast Guard vessels were responding, and one was within 3 miles (4.8 kilometres) of where the helicopter went down.

The Navy did not have any immediate word on the crash.