Five US Marines Confirmed Dead in Helicopter Crash Near San Diego, Reports Reuters

Five U.S. Marines were confirmed dead following a helicopter crash in a remote area outside of San Diego during a severe winter storm, as reported by the U.S. Marine Corps on Thursday.

The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter went down in Pine Valley, a hilly region east of the city, on Tuesday night while en route to the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California. The remains of the crew members were located amid a search and rescue operation conducted by the Marines and local authorities.

“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines,” Major General Michael Borgschulte stated.

President Joe Biden also expressed his condolences to the families of the fallen Marines, stating that both he and First Lady Jill Biden were “heartbroken at the loss.”

The Marine Corps indicated that they would wait until the families had been informed before releasing the names of the crew members.

The helicopter had departed from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada earlier that evening, flying into inclement weather conditions. Approximately eight hours later, it was reported as overdue.

The cause of the crash remains unknown, and an investigation is currently underway.