Rescue crews are currently conducting a search for five US Marines after finding their military helicopter in Pine Valley, Southern California, as announced by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing on Wednesday.
The US Marine Corps stated that the CH-53E Super Stallion was "reported overdue" while en route from a base near Las Vegas to one in San Diego late Tuesday.
Early Wednesday, search teams scoured challenging, muddy terrain for the aircraft amidst a mix of rain and snow, as reported by Cal Fire and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Captain Stephanie Leguizamon from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stated that “The Marines were flying a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Creech Air Force Base to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Feb. 6, 2024, when the aircraft was reported overdue.” She also mentioned the involvement of the Civil Air Patrol in the search efforts.
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According to the US Navy, the CH-53E is a heavy-lift helicopter capable of transporting troops and equipment, with a cargo capacity of up to 16 tons. Captain Leguizamon stated that the Marines aboard the crashed aircraft are members of Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, part of Marine Aircraft Group 16.
On Tuesday evening near Pine Valley, approximately 40 miles east of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, winds were gusting up to 20 mph. It is probable that winds were even stronger at higher elevations.
According to radar data, a significant band of precipitation moved through the area between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., bringing rain at lower elevations and snow at higher elevations.
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California firefighters are among those participating in the search for the missing helicopter, Cal Fire San Diego spokesperson Mike Cornette had told CNN.
After receiving the initial report about the missing aircraft at 2:20 a.m., Cal Fire San Diego dispatched three fire engines and an ambulance, according to Cornette. He noted that the last ping from the aircraft was recorded at 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday.
Search and rescue teams explored Lake Morena and a trailhead in the Cleveland National Forest, but were hindered by "heavy snow and winter conditions," prompting them to temporarily withdraw before resuming their efforts on Wednesday, as stated by Cornette.
The sheriff's department also encountered challenging conditions during the search, which it joined at around 3 a.m., approximately two hours after receiving notification about the missing helicopter, according to a news release issued prior to the confirmation of the aircraft's discovery.
“The current weather conditions are a mixture of snow and rain,” the release said, and “the Sheriff’s Department is currently using 4x4 Jeeps to search the area due to the difficult and muddy terrain.”
Over the past decade, Super Stallion helicopters have been part of several accidents, with at least two of them resulting in fatalities.
In 2016, twelve Marines lost their lives when two CH-53E helicopters collided during a nighttime training exercise off the coast of Hawaii. Military investigators attributed the crash to pilot error. Two years later, a Super Stallion crashed during a training mission near El Centro, California, resulting in the deaths of four crew members.
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Another incident was described as a "miracle at sea": in 2014, twenty-five Marines and Navy sailors survived when a CH-53E crashed while attempting to land on an amphibious transport dock at sea.
