Coast Guard Recovers 4 Crew With Minor Injuries After Alaska Helicopter Crash

Officials said the personnel escaped with ‘non-serious’ injuries after a training flight accident.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 02:00 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed near Sitka, Alaska. [Credit: U.S. Coast Guard]

Key Takeaways:

A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed in Alaska during a training flight, resulting in non-serious injuries for all four crew members, prompting an investigation.
This incident occurs in a region known for its significantly higher aircraft accident rate compared to the rest of the U.S., often attributed to harsh weather and insufficient aviation infrastructure.
Federal agencies are actively working to improve Alaska's aviation safety through initiatives like installing new weather stations, modernizing air traffic control systems, and replacing outdated flight service automation.

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The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday said it recovered four personnel with “non-serious” injuries after their Sikorsky MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed in Alaska during a training flight.

The Coast Guard said watch standers at its Arctic District command center were alerted to the crash near Sitka, Alaska, around 10:07 a.m. local time on Monday, after the crew’s personal locator beacon was activated. Sitka Fire and Rescue personnel located the crew around 11 a.m. and flew them to nearby Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center.