Coast Guard suspends search for five Army aviators off Hawaii

[August 22, 2017]    (Reuters) - The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday that it had suspended its search off Hawaii for five Army aviators missing since their Black Hawk helicopter crashed last week.

"Suspension of a search and rescue case without resolution is a very, very difficult decision and it weighs heavily, particularly on the hearts of the Coast Guard," Rear Admiral Vince Atkins, commander of the Coast Guard 14th District, said at a news conference.

The helicopter went down last Tuesday in the Pacific Ocean during a training mission 2 miles (3 km) offshore from Ka'ena Point on the island of Oahu. Wheeler Army Airfield lost contact at that time with the crew of the UH-60 Black Hawk, the Coast Guard said.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles)

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