Senator John McCain said Saturday morning that a soldier missing in an August 25 helicopter crash off the coast of Yemen is from Tucson.
McCain identified the soldier as U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Emil Rivera-Lopez and linked to an article on Military.com.
Cindy & I send our condolences & heartfelt prayers to the friends & family of SSgt Rivera-Lopez of #Tucson. RIP. https://t.co/PkrGM6G7Gr
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) September 2, 2017
Rivera-Lopez was assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the article says.
The unit, known as the Night Stalkers, specializes in difficult nighttime missions, often transporting special operations troops into battle, according to the article.
The Black Hawk helicopter Rivera-Lopez was in crashed off the southern coast of Yemen during a training exercise, according to the Department of Defense.
Military officials announced the crash the next day, saying that five people aboard the aircraft had been rescued but one service member was still missing, according to the Associated Press.
Rivera-Lopez was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown, but was declared deceased Friday, according to a Department of Defense news release.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, the release said.
