One dead in US Coast Guard helicopter crash

WASHINGTON: At least one crewmember died and three were missing after a US Coast Guard helicopter crashed in the southern state of Alabama, officials said early Wednesday.

The MH-65 Dolphin helicopter carrying four individuals crashed "in the vicinity" of Mobile Bay, along the Gulf of Mexico coast, on Tuesday evening during a training flight, the Coast Guard said in a statement.

One of the crewmembers was pulled from the water, unresponsive, and later declared dead, it said.

Helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft and several boats were carrying out an intensive search in and around the bay for the other three crewmembers.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the crewmembers during this difficult time," said Captain Don Rose, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Mobile.

"We are working through the night to continue to conduct a robust search for the three crewmembers who are still missing."

The Coast Guard said the cause of the crash was under investigation. (AFP)