UPDATE POSTED NOV. 22, 09:35 P.M. (EDT)

Search and rescue operations continue for three Sailors following a C-2A Greyhound aircraft crash southeast of Okinawa at 2:45 p.m. yesterday.

Next of kin notifications to inform families that their Sailors are duty status whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN) are complete. Names will be withheld for up to 72 hours in accordance with U.S. Navy policy.

Eight Sailors were recovered and transferred to USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) for medical evaluation. All are in good condition at this time.

USS Ronald Reagan is leading combined search and rescue efforts with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). Searching through the night, several ships and aircraft covered more than 320 nautical miles as of this morning.

The following ships and aircraft are searching the area: U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers USS Stethem (DDG 63), USS Chafee (DDG 90) and USS Mustin (DDG 89); MH-60R Seahawk helicopters of the "Saberhawks" from U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM 77); P-8 aircraft from the "Fighting Tigers" of U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 8; P-3 Orion aircraft of the "Red Hook" U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 40; JMSDF Helicopter Carrier Japan Ships (JS) Kaga (DDH 184) and JS Ise (DDH 182); JMSDF Akizuki-class destroyer JS Teruzuki (DD 116); JMSDF Murasame-class destroyer JS Samidare (DD 106), and JMSDF Hatakaze-class destroyer JS Shimakaze (DDG 172).

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Japan Standard Time, Nov. 22, 2017, the C2-A aircraft with 11 crew and passengers onboard crashed into the ocean approximately 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa. The aircraft was conducting a routine transport flight carrying passengers and cargo from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Ronald Reagan.

The C2-A is assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Three Zero, Detachment Five, forward deployed in NAF Atsugi, Japan. Detachment Five's mission includes the transport of high-priority cargo, mail, duty passengers and Distinguished Visitors between USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and shore bases throughout the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia theaters.

The incident is under investigation.

A family assistance center is online at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Families who live off base in Japan can call 0468-16-1728. Families living in the United States can call +81-468-16-1728 (international); families who live on base can call 243-1728 (DSN).

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UPDATE POSTED NOV. 22, 10:30 A.M. (EDT)

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer's statement on the incident: "I would like everyone to take a moment and keep some of our Navy family in their thoughts and prayers. A C2 Greyhound with 11 personnel on board crashed in the Philippine Sea while in transit to USS Ronald Reagan. Eight have been rescued, and a full search and rescue mission is underway for the missing three. We are grateful to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for their assistance, but I would ask that we keep our fellow Navy family members in our thoughts and prayers."

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UPDATE POSTED NOV. 22, 10:00 A.M. (EDT)

WASHINGTON -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson's statement on the incident: "Our Sailors are in my thoughts and prayers as we perform search and rescue operations for a downed aircraft in the Philippine Sea. Eight of eleven Sailors are safe and sound on USS Ronald Reagan. We continue to search for three."

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UPDATE POSTED NOV. 22, 8:52 A.M. (EDT)

PHILIPPINE SEA -- Search and rescue operations continue for three personnel following a C-2A Greyhound aircraft crash southeast of Okinawa at 2:45 p.m. Nov. 22.

Eight personnel were recovered by the "Golden Falcons" of U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12. The eight personnel were transferred to USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) for medical evaluation and are in good condition at this time.

"Our entire focus is on finding all of our Sailors," said Rear Adm. Marc H. Dalton, commander, Task Force 70. "U.S. and Japanese ships and aircraft are searching the area of the crash and we will be relentless in our efforts."

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) is leading search and rescue efforts with the following ships and aircraft: U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63); MH-60R Seahawk helicopters of the "Saberhawks" from U.S. Navy Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77; P-8 aircraft from the "Fighting Tigers" of U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 8; P-3 Orion aircraft of the "Red Hook" U.S. Navy Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 40; Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Helicopter Carrier Japan Ship (JS) Kaga (DDH 184); and JMSDF Hatakaze-class destroyer Japan Ship (JS) Shimakaze (DDG 172).

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Japan Standard Time, Nov. 22, the C2-A aircraft with 11 crew and passengers on board crashed into the ocean approximately 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa. The aircraft was conducting a routine transport flight carrying passengers and cargo from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Ronald Reagan.

The C2-A is assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30, Det. 5, forward deployed in Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan. Det. 5's mission includes the transport of high-priority cargo, mail, duty passengers and distinguished visitors between USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and shore bases throughout the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia theaters.

The names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

The incident will be investigated.

A family assistance center is online at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Families who live off base in Japan can call 0468-16-1728. Families living in the United States can call +81-468-16-1728 (international); families who live on base can call 243-1728 (DSN).

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UPDATE POSTED NOV. 22, 5:40 A.M. (EDT)

PHILIPPINE SEA -- Search and rescue operations recovered eight personnel following a C2-A Greyhound aircraft crash southeast of Okinawa at approximately 3:23 p.m. Nov 22.

All personnel were transferred to USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) for medical evaluation and are in good condition at this time.

Search and rescue efforts for three personnel continue with U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ships and aircraft on scene.

The names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

At approximately 2:45 p.m. Japan Standard Time Nov. 22, the C2-A aircraft with 11 crew and passengers on board crashed into the ocean approximately 500 nautical miles southeast of Okinawa. The aircraft was conducting a routine transport flight carrying passengers and cargo from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Reagan is operating in the Philippine Sea as part of an exercise with JMSDF.

The C2-A is assigned to the "Providers" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30, Det. 5, forward deployed in Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi, Japan. Det. 5's mission includes the transport of high-priority cargo, mail, duty passengers and distinguished visitors between USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and shore bases throughout the Western Pacific and Southeast Asia theaters.

The incident will be investigated.

A family assistance center is online at Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka. Families who live off base in Japan can call 0468-16-1728. Families living in the United States can call +81-468-16-1728 (international); families who live on base can call 243-1728 (DSN).

(UPDATE: This story has been updated to reflect new information.)