Marine helicopter goes down in Gulf of Aden; 25 rescued

A Marine helicopter carrying 25 U.S. service members crashed in the Gulf of Aden Monday, but all aboard were rescued, according to the Navy.

Seventeen Marines and eight sailors were aboard the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter when it crashed as it attempted to land on the USS Mesa Verde. All were aboard the ship following the incident; some received treatment for minor injuries.

The Navy said the chopper was transporting troops from training in nearby Djibouti. The crash was not caused by any hostile activity, according to the military. The cause is being investigated.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the USS Mesa Verde, an amphibious transport dock ship based at Norfolk, Virginia, into the Persian Gulf earlier this summer as concern grew over the Islamic State terrorist group’s advance on Iraq’s capital, Baghdad.

The ship transports and lands Marines and other troops, their equipment and supplies, aided by helicopters and vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.