The US Navy has identified Cmdr. Gabriel Edwards, commanding officer of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5, as the sailor lost at sea and now presumed dead following the July 1 crash of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter in the Arabian Sea.
Edwards was one of four crew members aboard the helicopter, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, when it made an emergency water landing at around 3:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Three of the four crew members were recovered from the water in stable condition. The Navy said there is no indication the emergency was caused by hostile action, though the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The search for Edwards ran for more than 102 hours and covered over 14,000 square miles of the US Central Command area of responsibility (CENTCOM), one of the most extensive search efforts the Navy has mounted in the region. It involved assets from the George H.W. Bush's own helicopter squadrons, the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln's helicopter squadrons, five Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers, two P-8 Poseidon squadrons, and multiple US Air Force aircraft. The Navy suspended the active search on Sunday.
Edwards, a native of Oakland, Oregon, graduated from Norfolk State University in 2006 with a degree in physics and was commissioned through Naval ROTC. He earned his aviator wings in 2008 and had accumulated more than 2,000 flight hours across several helicopter airframes over a 20 year naval career. He assumed command of HSC-5, known as the Nightdippers, in July 2025 and had already been selected for promotion to captain. Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said Edwards will be posthumously promoted to that rank.
Edwards is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and their two children. In a statement, Rebecca Edwards said the family remains grateful for the extraordinary effort made to bring him home, and asked for privacy as they begin to grieve. Capt. Matthew Lewis, commander of Carrier Air Wing 7, described Edwards as an exceptional leader who devoted himself to service for two decades and built the Nightdippers into a squadron defined by integrity and fortitude.
The George H.W. Bush has been operating in the Arabian Sea since April 23 as part of the American naval buildup in the region amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. The Navy said counselors, chaplains, and support personnel are working with the squadron and the ship's crew in the aftermath of the loss.
