A tragic accident occurred on the USS George H.W. Bush, claiming a sailor’s life on Monday.
An incident on board deemed a “mishap” occurred around 4:45 p.m. Monday on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier. One sailor was killed in the incident and no other injuries were reported, U.S. Naval Institute News reported.
The Navy is reportedly investigating the incident.
A spokesman for Naval Air Force Atlantic, Dave Hecht, told Pilot Online that pilots were performing carrier qualifications on Monday. The qualifications included the launch and landing of aircraft on the aircraft carrier.
Hecht said the incident temporarily suspended operations until Tuesday. He called the incident a “tragic situation.” He added, “Our hearts and prayers go out to the family.”
The sailor’s identity has been withheld pending the standard 24-hour next-of-kin notification period.
“We ask for your patience and understanding as the crew grieves the loss of one of their shipmates,” said a statement from Naval Air Force Atlantic.
The sailor’s death is the 13th to take place in Navy or Marines “mishap” or combat operations this year.
Sailor killed in “mishap” during flight deck operations aboard USS George H.W. Bush in Atlantic Ocean. Naval Air Force At;antic says accident under investigation.#13NewsNow pic.twitter.com/0RqzYdPKC2
— Mike Gooding 13News Now (@13MikeGooding) September 18, 2018
The aircraft carrier was among more than 30 ships to leave Norfolk last weekend in preparation for then-Hurricane Florence. It remained deployed within
Last year, the vessel served a seven-month deployment throughout the Middle East, Mediterranean, and North Atlantic. In 2018, the carrier has focused on training operations while deployed in the Atlantic.
Prior to the latest incident, a sailor was killed and another injured in August during a “mishap” incident in which an auxiliary fuel tank fell from a grounded HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter, according to Military.com
In June, a sailor was reportedly killed on a helicopter flight line at Naval Station in Norfolk, Military.com reported. The incident was also characterized as a “mishap” although it was later revealed that the sailor died by suicide.
