A US Marine Corps helicopter vanished while being flown to California, and search parties are looking for it.
Early on Wednesday, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, which is close to San Diego, “reported overdue” the helicopter, a CH-53E Super Stallion.
Based out of an airbase close to Las Vegas, the helicopter carried five Marines.
The search is being assisted by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
The Marine Corps released a statement stating that the Marines that went missing were attached to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, which is a division of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, with its headquarters located in Miramar.
When fire crews learned about the missing aircraft on Wednesday at 02:20 local time (10:20 GMT), they sent crews to a location close to Lake Morina, California, but were not able to locate the aircraft.
According to police, the wintry weather and deep snow made their search more difficult. The incident happened after a winter storm that dumped several inches of snow in the hilly elevations and brought severe rains to the area.
The CH-53E Super Stallion, which entered active service in 1981, is regarded as a backbone of Marine Corps aviation and is typically used for transport duties. In its standard form, it can accommodate up to 37 passengers.
The US and Japanese navies both utilize helicopters to ferry personnel, but they can also be used for fighting and delivering supplies.
A Marine Corps pilot lost his life in August when his F/A-18 Hornet aircraft crashed in the same vicinity as the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
The Marine Corps Super Stallions have previously been in several dangerous incidents. For instance, four soldiers lost their lives in April 2018 when their Super Stallion crashed when they were on a training operation close to El Centro, California.
A different event occurred in January 2016, in Oahu, Hawaii, when two Super Stallions crashed over the Pacific, killing twelve Marines.
