Authorities have released the names of two men who are missing after a helicopter they were in disappeared off the northwest coast of Molokai.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports rescue crews are searching for 27-year-old Jeremy Dossetter and 25-year-old Oliver Kirsch. The helicopter they were in disappeared Monday night.

Molokai resident Tim Emmanuel says he saw a red blinking light descend quickly toward the ocean while fishing that night.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Navy and Maui Fire Department are conducting the search. The company whose helicopter they were in, Mauna Loa Helicopters, is assisting with the search.

The two men were aboard the helicopter for flight training when they left Honolulu and were heading back to Oahu when the airport’s control tower lost communications.

The chopper, which was on its way back to Honolulu with a flight student and instructor on board, was from Mauna Loa Helicopters. The company is also assisting in the search.

“Our thoughts and prayers are for the people involved and their families,” said company President Benjamin Fouts. “You try to prepare in the training and do the best you can in the situation you’re given.”

Officials said debris and chemlights were located about one and half miles from shore, but it’s unclear if the items were from missing helicopter.

Coast Guard officials were notified of the suspected downed helicopter at 7:26 p.m. Monday, when it vanished from radar.

Fouts said the two men left Honolulu about 6 p.m. Monday for a training flight to Molokai, and were supposed to return by 8 or 8:30 p.m.

There was no mayday call, according to Mauna Loa Helicopters.

Please say Tehillim for Yirmeyahu Matan ben Shoshana Bracha.

(Charles Gross – YWN / AP)