SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI) — A military helicopter reported missing Wednesday morning was found hours later by authorities in Pine Valley, California. All five U.S. Marines onboard are now confirmed dead, officials announced Thursday.
Cal Fire said a call first came in around 2:20 a.m. reporting that the aircraft had not shown up to its destination. The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was flying from Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Tuesday when the aircraft was reported overdue.
The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed around 6:20 a.m. Wednesday that the helicopter was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The last reported area of the helicopter was located southeast of Pine Valley, about 35 miles east of their destination. Search and rescue teams were deployed to the area, which officials described as snow-covered and hard to access.
Cal Fire’s Mike Cornette told Nexstar’s KSWB that crews tried to search the area on foot but were unable to find anything. He added that crews were awaiting vehicles that were better equipped to search in the terrain, including drones and additional aircraft.
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing coordinated search and rescue efforts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Civil Air Patrol.
Waves of heavy downpours hit the area throughout the night from a historic storm that has drenched San Diego County this week. It was unclear what time the helicopter took off from Nevada or why it was flying back in the storm, but officials said it was part of routine training.
In a social media post at 9:54 a.m., the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing announced the aircraft was located by authorities at 9:08 a.m. Search and rescue efforts continued for the remainder of the day.
In another update Thursday at 4:55 a.m., the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing announced all five Marines had been confirmed dead.
“To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time,” stated Maj. Gen. Borgschulte, 3rd MAW Commanding General.
The identities of the deceased Marines were not to be released until 24 hours after all next-of-kin had been notified by the military, per policy.
Crews focused their efforts on recovering the remains of the Marines. Rescue crews told KSWB that the chopper crashed in an area that is difficult to access because it’s so remote. Harsh weather conditions were also a factor.
The Super Stallion serves as a transport chopper used for heavy lifting. In 2018, a Super Stallion carrying four Marines from MCAS Miramar crashed in El Centro, California, killing everyone on board.
In 2020, another CH-53E Super Stallion from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar was forced to make an emergency landing in a field near Interstate 15 outside San Diego after receiving a cockpit warning indicating a generator failure. No one was injured in that incident.
President Joe Biden released the following statement Thursday morning regarding the loss of the five Marines:
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 fr their professionalism and dedication in supporting search and recovery efforts.
(The White House)
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 Associated Press contributed to this report.
