Navy issues one-day pause on some flights in wake of California aircraft crashes
The U.S. Navy is issuing a one-day pause on its aircraft in the wake of two crashes this week in California, one of which claimed the lives of five Marines. The pause will take place on Monday and apply to all "non-deployed Navy aviation units."
In a news release Saturday, the Commander, Naval Air Forces said the day will be used to "review risk-management practices and conduct training on threat and error-management processes."
Units that are currently deployed will conduct the safety pause at their "earliest possible opportunity."
This comes after two aircraft crashes occurred on consecutive days in Southern California's rural Imperial County.
On Wednesday afternoon, five Marines died when an MV-22 Osprey went down during a routine training exercise. The wreck occurred near the desert town of Glamis, about 50 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
The five killed were identified Friday as Cpl. Nathan E. Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois; Capt. Nicholas P. Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire; Cpl. Seth D. Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming; Capt. John J. Sax, 33, of Placer, California; and Lance Cpl. Evan A. Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico.
Sax is the son of former Los Angeles Dodgers star Steve Sax.
All five were based out of Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, located in neighboring San Diego County.
On Thursday afternoon, a Navy helicopter went down on a training range near the town of El Centro. All four people aboard the MH-60S Seahawk survived.
El Centro is located about 40 miles from Glamis.
The causes of both crashes are under investigation.
The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft used to move troops and supplies. It can take off and land like a helicopter, but can also fly like a plane.