US military helicopter crashes off southern coast of Yemen

A U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter crashed off the southern coast of Yemen while training its crew, leaving one service member missing, officials said.

Five others aboard the aircraft were rescued, officials said in a statement issued by U.S. Central Command.

The crash took place Friday evening. Officials said the accident was under investigation.

Asked if the crash involved another special forces raid, Central Command told The Associated Press that "this was a routine training event specifically for U.S. military personnel."

"Training events such as this are routinely held by U.S. forces within a theater of operations in order to maintain their proficiency within the operating environment," CENTCOM told the AP in a statement. "Commanders deemed this location appropriate and safe for a routine training event, considering both the operational environment and weather conditions at the time."

Yemen is located on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula.