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Helicopter shot during Mercy mission

A Navy helicopter flying from the hospital ship Mercy returned to the ship with two bullet holes in its tail section Monday afternoon, prompting Navy officials to temporarily suspend the ship’s humanitarian operations off the Philippines coast.

The bullet holes — one entry and one exit hole from a single bullet — were found after an MH-60 returned to the Mercy following a mission in which it flew 50 miles inland and brought 11 passengers to the ship.

No injuries were reported. Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Davis said officials were unsure if passengers were on the helicopter when it was fired upon. It was also unclear what size bullet hit the aircraft, he said.

Mercy, which has been near the Philippines for about 10 days, is anchored off the coast of Cotabato, Philippines, conducting Pacific Partnership 2008. The four-month exercise is intended to strengthen American relations with nations in Southeast Asia and Oceania by bringing together military and civilian medical personnel from various nations, along with construction personnel.

Davis said the Mercy mission commander temporarily ceased all Pacific Partnership activities until “a proper assessment can be made.”

Mercy left its homeport of San Diego on May 1 and is scheduled to visit the Philippines, Vietnam, Micronesia and Papua New Guinea, according to a Navy news release.

Cotabato is home to an ongoing Muslim insurgency, according to media reports.