Several hundred military and civilian personnel continue to search for 12 U.S. Marines, including a 21-year-old OR native, who were involved in a training crash off the north coast of Oahu late Thursday evening.
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The U.S. Marine Corps has released the names of the 12 Marines missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii.
The cause of the crash, involving aircraft from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, has not yet been determined. The Coast Guard began a search and rescue effort, but 30- to 40-foot surf and bad weather have complicated the search effort, according to media reports. Known as Super Stallions, they are the United States military’s largest helicopters, capable of carrying a light armored vehicle, 16 tons of cargo, or a team of combat-equipped Marines, according to a Marine Corps website. The aircraft had been on a training mission.
“Captain Kevin Roche is a passionate Marine who loves his family and his country – and we love him”, they said. Another person reported a flare in the sky.
“Everybody’s putting every available resource they have to try and find survivors from this accident”, Coast Guard Lt. Scott Carr said Friday.
It was not clear whether the fireball and the flare were the same, he said.
The Coast Guard initially reported the choppers had collided.
Marine Capt. Timothy Irish said Friday that each helicopter had a crew of six from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
Authorities have spotted a debris field that spans more than 11 kilometers off the coast, and have set up a safety zone in the area.
U.S. Navy destroyers USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) and USS Gridley (DDG-101) and an MH-60R helicopter from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 37 are also participating in the effort. “God bless them”, McGrew said.
Family members of a Marine they believe was aboard one of two helicopters that collided off Hawaii are holding out hope that he survived.
Winds died down to about 10 miles per hour, but the National Weather Service said a high surf warning would remain in effect through Sunday morning.
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“That is moving that debris all over the place”, Capt Carr said.
