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Navy Identifies HSC‑5 Commander Missing After Arabian Sea Helicopter Ditching

The service suspended a multi‑day search and opened a formal investigation that so far shows no sign of hostile action.

Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, was identified by the Navy as the missing Sailor following a helicopter’s emergency landing in the Arabian Sea, July 1. Edwards was the commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 and had been selected for promotion to captain.
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Overview

  • An MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to USS George H. W. Bush made an emergency water landing on Wednesday, July 1, and three of the four crew were rescued while Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards was reported missing.
  • U.S. naval and air units searched more than 14,000 square miles for over 102 hours before suspending active search operations on July 5.
  • The Navy publicly identified Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards on July 7 and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao directed that Edwards be posthumously promoted to the rank of captain.
  • Naval leaders have opened a formal investigation into the ditching and have said there is no indication at this stage that hostile action caused the emergency landing.
  • HSC-5 remains deployed aboard the carrier in the Middle East, the service is offering counseling and family support, and the incident is expected to prompt reviews of carrier aviation procedures and safety practices.