© 2024 St. Louis Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Local Naval officer killed in helicopter crash

(via Flickr/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Scott Pittman/US Navy)

A 40-year-old St. Louisan and Navy airman is dead following a helicopter crash earlier this week in Oman.

The Department of Defense today announced that Sean P. Sullivan, a Senior Chief Aviation Warfare Systems Operator, was killed in the July 19 crash. Also killed was Joseph Fitzmorris of Louisiana.

The Norfolk-based MH-53E Sea Dragon had a crew of five aboard when it crashed on land about 60 miles southwest of the Omani capital, Muscat. The Navy declared Sullivan and Fitzmorris dead after what was described as an extensive search of the wreckage and surrounding areas. The three other crew members were rescued.

A spokesman for the Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based on Bahrain, said the copter was involved in heavy lift operations when it crashed. No hostile activity was suspected.

Tags
Rachel is the justice correspondent at St. Louis Public Radio.