SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The U.S. Navy is searching for five missiles dropped into the Pacific Ocean following a rigging failure.
According to a Navy spokesperson, the incident happened on June 17 when an MH-60S Knighthawk helicopter experienced a “rigging failure” that resulted in “two containers of ordnance being dropped into the Eastern Pacific Ocean.”
“There is a very low probability that the missiles will detonate or explode as they were encapsulated for shipping and missing key components for activating the missile,” the Navy said.
No one was injured during the incident, according to the Navy. The Coast Guard has advised civilian mariners to remain clear of the search area.
Authorities said a total of five RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles were dropped into the water.
“The U.S. Navy has not placed any time constraints on the effort to locate the missing ordnance. We remain committed to leveraging all resources, including collaborating with local agencies, to locate and recover the missiles,” a statement from the Navy read.
