USMC Super Stallion crashes in Gulf of Aden; all 25 personnel rescued

Staff report
Posted: Monday Sep 1, 2014

A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit crashed at sea today in the Central Command area of operations, an official press release stated.

All 25 persons aboard the helicopter, 17 Marines and eight Navy sailors, were safely recovered and are aboard USS Mesa Verde, according to the release.

"Three individuals are reported to have sustained non-life threatening injuries in the crash," the press release states.

The crash was not a result of "hostile activity," the press release states. The aircraft was transferring the Marines and sailors back to USS Mesa Verde from training ashore in nearby Djibouti.

The Navy and Marine Corps plan to investigate the cause of the crash.