SITKA, ALASKA — What was supposed to be a routine training mission on a Monday morning, June 22, 2026 quickly turned into an emergency response when a U.S. Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crashed near Harbor Mountain.

The aircraft, operating out of Coast Guard Air Station Sitka, went down just after 10:00 AM on Baranof Island. Despite the violent nature of the crash in Alaska's notoriously rugged terrain, officials have confirmed that all four crew members on board survived, escaping with what are described as non-life-threatening, minor injuries.

The MH-60 Jayhawk was conducting standard training maneuvers when the incident occurred. Watch standers at the Coast Guard’s Arctic District command center in Juneau were first alerted to the disaster at 10:07 AM when the aircrew's personal locator beacons were automatically triggered.

Because the crash took place a few miles outside Sitka near the steep slopes of Harbor Mountain, local emergency teams had to move fast. Sitka Fire and Rescue launched a swift ground response, navigating the challenging topography to reach the wreckage by 11:00 AM—roughly an hour after the initial impact.

All four Coast Guard crew members were successfully extracted from the site and transported to Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center in Sitka for immediate evaluation and treatment.

The mood following the rescue was predominantly one of profound relief. Aviation accidents in Southeast Alaska are exceptionally high-risk due to the region's unpredictable weather patterns, dense forests, and vertical mountain faces.

“We are incredibly relieved our crew members survived with only minor injuries,” said Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard's Arctic District. “We are grateful for the swift response by the Sitka Fire and Rescue who assisted us during this critical time.”

To ensure public safety and allow specialized personnel unhindered access to the crash site, the City of Sitka immediately closed Harbor Mountain Road to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic.

The loss of the MH-60 Jayhawk is a notable blow to the Coast Guard’s regional fleet. The twin-engine, medium-range recovery helicopter is the backbone of maritime search and rescue across Alaska’s unforgiving coastline. Manufactured by Sikorsky, there are only about 50 of these specialized airframes currently operational in the entire U.S. Coast Guard inventory.

A formal military investigation will be launched to determine the precise chain of events that brought the multi-million dollar aircraft down. Investigators will evaluate structural telemetry, environmental factors, and pilot logs. At this time, officials have not stated whether mechanical failure, sudden wind shear, or low visibility contributed to the accident.