U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crashes near Sitka, Alaska

UPDATE: Rescue crews from Sitka Fire and Rescue arrived on scene at approximately 11:00 a.m. and transported all four crew members to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center. No one was killed. Details soon.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter has crashed near Sitka, Alaska, according to local and federal officials. A search-and-rescue operation is underway and only few details are currently available.

The incident happened on Monday morning when the aircraft, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, went down in the Sitka area. It was not immediately known how many people were on board.

“First responders and search and rescue assets are currently responding,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in a brief statement. “The safety, well-being, and rescue of our crew members Is our absolute, immediate priority.”

The exact location of the crash was not immediately clear but temporary flight restrictions were announced a few miles east of the city, not far from Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Airport.

“The cause of the incident is not yet known. A formal investigation will be conducted to determine the circumstances surrounding the event,” the U.S. Coast Guard said in its statement.

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter typically has a crew of 4.

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