A military helicopter that had gone missing while en route from Nevada to California on Tuesday was found on Wednesday morning in Southern California. However, the search is still ongoing for the five Marines who were on board the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. The helicopter, which had departed from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas on its way to the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, San Diego, was reported overdue on Tuesday night.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Civil Air Patrol personnel are providing assistance to the Marine Corps in the ongoing search and rescue operation. Although the helicopter was found on Wednesday morning, efforts to locate the missing Marines are continuing. The sheriff’s department attempted to send a helicopter to search for the missing aircraft but faced challenges due to a severe atmospheric storm hitting the region. As a result, the department sent off-road vehicles to navigate the rough terrain and support the search operation.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, while White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stated that the administration is closely monitoring the situation and hoping for the best. ABC News’ Fritz Farrow contributed to this report.
