Air Force member goes missing during training jump over Gulf of Mexico

A U.S. military C-130 Hercules aircraft is seen flying on July 1, 2016, in Townsville, Australia. (IAN HITCHCOCK/GETTY IMAGES)

A member of the U.S. Air Force went missing during a training jump over the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday. The Air Force said in a statement Wednesday morning crews were still searching for the airman.

The Air Force said the airman “exited a C-130 aircraft” over the Gulf of Mexico about 4 miles south of Hurlburt Field in the Florida Panhandle. The airman was from the 24th Special Operations Wing based at the airfield, which is the headquarters for Air Force Special Operations Command.

No other details were released about the airman. The Air Force, Coast Guard and the Army were involved in the search, the Air Force said.

The incident was under investigation, the Air Force said.

Local Headlines

Endangered smalltooth sawfish deaths more than double since mid-March

Wildlife officials announced five more endangered smalltooth sawfish mortalities occurred during the ongoing abnormal fish behavior event in the Florida Keys.

2 people wanted in multiple Fort Myers burglaries

Crime Stoppers is seeking information on two suspects who are wanted in multiple burglaries in Fort Myers.

Convicted Tampa armed robber faces 100 years in prison after a traffic stop in Collier County

A man known as the “Beretta Bandit,” who had been convicted of several armed robberies in Tampa, faces a lifetime in prison after a 2021 Collier County traffic stop led to his arrest.