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.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
