CALIFORNIA BRIEFING / SAN DIEGO
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The Navy announced Thursday that it has suspended rescue efforts for the two missing crew members aboard a helicopter that crashed Tuesday night off the coast of San Diego. Three bodies were found early Wednesday.
The five crew members aboard the helicopter were identified as Lt. Cmdr. Eric J. Purvis, 37, of Poway, Calif.; Lt. Allison M. Oubre, 27, of Slidell, La.; Naval Air Crewman 1st Class Samuel “Grant” Kerslake, 41, of Hot Springs, Ark.; Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class Aaron L. Clingman, 25, of Bend, Ore.; and Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class Sean M. Ward, 20, of Lovelock, Nev.
The helicopter, an HH60 Seahawk, was part of Anti-Submarine Squadron 6 and was on a training mission off the carrier Nimitz.
No cause has been given for the crash, which occurred about 13 miles from San Diego, near the Coronado islands.
“The Navy’s search efforts are now focused on the feasibility of salvage operations,” the Navy said in a statement.
-- Tony Perry
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