5 Marines confirmed dead after helicopter crash

JULIE WATSON and LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press
·2 min read

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that went down during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego are confirmed dead, military said.

Authorities say the CH-53E Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas.

Total solar eclipse countdown: How to watch in CLE

“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the “Flying Tigers,” Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement.

  • FILE Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS) is shown on Aug. 25, 2023, in San Diego. San Diego County sheriff’s search teams were looking for a Marine Corps helicopter reported overdue early Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, file)
    FILE Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS) is shown on Aug. 25, 2023, in San Diego. San Diego County sheriff’s search teams were looking for a Marine Corps helicopter reported overdue early Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024. (Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, file)
  • Crews on Wednesday located an overdue Marine Corps helicopter in mountainous terrain near the southern California base to which it was returning. (AP Digital Embed)
    Crews on Wednesday located an overdue Marine Corps helicopter in mountainous terrain near the southern California base to which it was returning. (AP Digital Embed)
  • A Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter flies during training at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. A Marine Corps helicopter, like the one pictured, that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, 2024, in a mountainous area outside San Diego.(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)
  • U.S. Marines wait to leave a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
    U.S. Marines wait to leave a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
  • U.S. Marines leave a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
    U.S. Marines leave a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
  • A U.S. Marine carries rescue gear at a command center Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
    A U.S. Marine carries rescue gear at a command center Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
  • Rescue personnel meet at a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
    Rescue personnel meet at a command center, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, in Kitchen Creek, Calif. A Marine Corps helicopter that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning in a mountainous area outside San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

The names of the Marines were not immediately released.

CLE police look for suspects in gas station homicide

President Joe Biden released the following statement: “Jill and I are heartbroken at the loss of five U.S. Marines, whose aircraft crashed while flying from Nevada to California during a routine training mission. As the Department of Defense continues to assess what occurred, we extend our deepest condolences to their families, their squadron, and the U.S. Marine Corps as we grieve the loss of five of our nation’s finest warriors. I am deeply grateful to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary-Civil Air Patrol, and other federal, state, and local agencies for their professionalism and dedication in supporting search and recovery efforts.
 Our service members represent the very best of our nation—and these five Marines were no exception. Today, as we mourn this profound loss, we honor their selfless service and ultimate sacrifice—and reaffirm the sacred obligation we bear to all those who wear the uniform and their families. “

The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, an hour’s drive from San Diego. Previous coverage and more details can be found, here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.