Antioch Soldier Among Missing In Army Chopper Crash; Search Suspended

HONOLULU, HI — A 30-year-0ld Army sergeant from Antioch is one of five soldiers missing after an August 15 crash of a Black Hawk helicopter off the coast of Hawaii, defense officials confirmed Monday.

Sgt. Michael Nelson, 30, of Antioch, is presumed lost after the Army and Coast Guard called off the search for the missing soldiers Monday evening.

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

After several days of an almost constant search effort, the 25th Infantry Division made the "very, very difficult decision" to suspend the effort Monday, according to division spokesman Lt. Col. Curtis Kellog.

In addition to Nelson, the others who were lost are 1st Lt. Kathryn Bailey of Hope Mills, N.C.; Chief Warrant Officer Brian Woeber of Decatur, Ala.;Chief Warrant Officer Stephen Cantrell of Wichita Falls, Texas; and Staff Sgt. Abigail Milam of Jenkins, Ky

The Black Hawk crew was conducting a night exercise when it presumably went into the Pacific Ocean. Rescuers recovered what is believed to be part of the fuselage and a helmet last week.

The Army has not yet determined the crash's cause.

Photo: Water safety officials hand over possible debris from an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crash to military personnel stationed at a command center in a harbor, Wednesday, August 16, 2017 in Haleiwa, HI. An Army helicopter with five on board crashed several miles off Oahu's North Shore late Tuesday. Rescue crews are searching the waters early Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)