UPDATED: As reported by WKRG News, Army Chief Warrant Officer Brian Woeber, from Decatur, Alabama is one of five soldier’s missing after their helicopter crashed off the shores of Hawaii last week.
The helicopter crashed on August 15 during a training flight 2 miles off the coast of Oahu. They were flying the UH-60, which is an Army utility helicopter used by the military in air assaults, air cavalry, and as a medical evacuation unit.
While the cause of the crash is unknown, officials do know that communications were lost as they trained between Kaena Point and Dillingham Airfield.
Once communications were down, the Coast Guard and Navy began their search. They used Navy Vessels and aircraft to search over 72,000 square nautical miles over the course of a week. However, no remains have been found.
Now, after a week of searching, the effort has been called off. In a statement to CNN news, Rear Adm. Vincent B. Atkins, commander of Coast Guard 14th District said,
“A decision to suspend search without finding survivors is extremely difficult given the depth of its impact. . . As we suspend the search we stand ready to support any future operations the Army conducts, and continue to provide any comfort we can for those suffering from this tragic loss.”
A GoFundMe account has been established Woeber Family.
The five missing soldiers include:
1st Lt. Kathryn M. Bailey, 26
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian M. Woeber, 41
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Stephen T. Cantrell, 32
Staff Sgt. Abigail R. Milam, 33
Sgt. Michael L. Nelson, 30
Author’s note: We’re eternally grateful that these young men chose to defend our freedom and offer our earnest prayers for their family and friends in the wake of this sad news.
