Search underway after two military helicopters collide off Hawaii
Source: Washington Post
A search is ongoing following the collision of the two CH-53 helicopters, Capt. Philip Kulczewski, a spokesman at Marine Corps headquarters at the Pentagon, told The Post on Friday morning. The CH-53 is the Marine Corps’ largest helicopter, capable of carrying more than 20 Marines each. The aircraft that collided were carrying a combined 12 people, according to local reports.
Emergency teams arrived at the scene just after midnight local time (5 a.m. Eastern) to find burning wreckage in the water and an empty life raft.
Initial reports of the crash came in around 11 p.m. local time with witnesses reporting hearing a loud boom and seeing a big flare-up in the sky, according to local TV station KHON2. Rough weather has complicated the search. Waves in the area were expected to rapidly build to 30 to 40 feet by Friday morning.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/01/15/military-aircraft-crash-near-hawaiian-island-of-oahu/
This is not good... moonlight's low, very windy conditions, waves building fast.. currently 10 ft. expected to peak around 40 ft. by noon...
Coast Guard plane had problems and had to return to base (per local news)...
Thoughts and prayers to all...
= new reply since forum marked as read
A dozen good, young men - dispatched without purpose. Of course, when you operate on the edge, it only takes one small mistake to incite a tragedy. RIP Marines.
"Crews discovered a life raft with no one on board and visible flames on the water," Mooers said.
Marine Corps Capt. Timothy Irish said the service members were conducting a routine night training that started from Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe and expected to conclude there.
Hmmm... Waialua is not far from Mokule'ia Beach, where "Lost" was filmed.
