Five US Marines missing after helicopter goes down in California mountains
Five US Marines are currently unaccounted for following the crash of their helicopter amidst the snow-blanketed mountains of California.
The CH-53E Super Stallion, which was en route to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego, was discovered approximately 45 miles (72km) from its intended destination after it was reported overdue.
The fate of the five Marines aboard remains uncertain, as they were engaged in a training flight from Las Vegas to Miramar, assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 within the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Emergency responders were alerted to the missing aircraft at 02:20 local time on Wednesday (10:20 GMT) and subsequently located the helicopter in Pine Valley, within the Cuyamaca Mountains, after hours of search efforts near Lake Morena, California.
Rescue operations, coordinated with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and various federal, state, and local agencies, have been challenged by severe wintry conditions, including heavy snowfall, exacerbated by a recent winter storm.
The CH-53E Super Stallion, integral to Marine Corps aviation since its introduction in 1981, primarily serves in a transport capacity and can accommodate up to 37 passengers. Alongside troop transport, it fulfills combat and logistical roles, and is utilized by both the US and Japanese navies.
Despite its utility, the Marine Corps Super Stallion has encountered notable safety incidents in recent years, reflecting a mixed safety record.
In April 2018, four troops were killed when their Super Stallion crashed near El Centro, California, while on a training mission.
In a separate incident in January 2016, 12 Marines were killed when two Super Stallions collided over the Pacific near Oahu in Hawaii.
This is not the first accident to occur in these California mountains recently.
In August, a Marine Corps pilot was killed when his F/A-18 Hornet jet crashed in an area similarly near to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
