3 Coast Guard Members Dead, 1 Missing in Helicopter Crash Off Honolulu

September 5, 2008 1:25 p.m. EST

Honolulu, HI (AHN) - Officials were searching Friday for a still-missing crew member after three others were killed Thursday night when their U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashed into the water about five miles south of Honolulu.

The HH-65C Dolphin rescue helicopter crashed while it was on search and rescue drills. It was practicing raising and lowering its rescue basket with a 47-foot motor lifeboat when the chopper crashed into the sea.

Three of the crew members were pulled from the sea and transported to a hospital where they later died. But the fourth crew member hasn't been found yet.

Investigators don't know what caused the crash yet.

Coast Guard officials have not released the names of the dead and missing because it reportedly hasn't notified all the family members yet.