A search was ongoing in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday for an airman from the 24 Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida, who went missing the day before during a jump training exercise, according to a wing press release.
The airman fell out of a C-130 aircraft during a training scenario about four miles south of Hurlburt, and search and rescue crews were alerted at about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to the wing.
As 6 a.m. Wednesday, 10 units were involved in the search and rescue effort:
♦ 24th Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field
♦ 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field
♦ Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew
♦ Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew
♦ Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile MH-60 Jayhawk aircrew
♦ Two Coast Guard Station Destin 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crews
♦ 96th Test Wing, Eglin Air Force Base
♦ U.S. Army 7th Special Forces Group, Duke Field
♦ Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office
♦ Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
The Coast Guard’s 8th District Headquarters in New Orleans told Navy Times that officials have diverted the Dania Beach, Florida-based cutter Gannet to join the search, which began shortly after watchstanders in Mobile received a distress call at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The 24th SOW said more details will be released as they become available.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as events unfold.
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