Munitions hamper investigations into US Navy helicopter crash off coast of Norfolk

Incident appears to be a bizarre coincidence after USAF helicopter crashed in Norfolk, UK yesterday

An MH-53-E, like this one pictured, is used to counter airborne mines (US Navy)

A US Navy helicopter has crashed off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia – just one day after a US aircraft came down in the marshlands of Norfolk in Britain.

The US Coast Guard said they received reports of a helicopter down around 18 miles (28km) out to sea at 4pm GMT, and confirmed a search and rescue operation was underway.

There were no initial indications of any link to the fatal crash at Cley-next-the-Sea yesterday, which saw all four crew members on board killed.

In the US, Petty Officer David Weydert of the coast guard told reporters four of the five people in the downed Navy aircraft had been rescued. Their conditions were not known.

Weydert said emergency services continued to search for the fifth crew member.

The helicopter off Virginia was identified by the Navy as an MH-53-E, which according to the Naval Air Systems Command website is used to counter airborne mines and in onboard delivery missions.

In what appears to be a bizarre coincidence,  an investigation was launched today after a USAF HH-60 Pave Hawk crashed during a low-level training mission near the north Norfolk coast.

Video: Aerial pictures of helicopter crash site