5 Marines Killed After Helicopter Crashed in Snowy California Mountains

Five Marines aboard a helicopter crashed in remote, snow-covered woods Tuesday night are dead, a US military spokesperson confirmed on Thursday after authorities found the downed aircraft.

Reasons the Helicopter Crashed

The CH-53E helicopter was discovered near Pine Valley, California, in the Cleveland National Forest. The Marines were on a routine training flight from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego when the Super Stallion helicopter was reported overdue on Tuesday evening.

Civilian authorities located the crashed helicopter around 9 AM PT on Wednesday about 30 miles east of the San Diego air station in the mountainous Pine Valley area, according to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. The condition of the recovered helicopter was not immediately disclosed.

The CH-53E is a heavy-lift transport helicopter used to carry cargo, vehicles and troops. The five Marines onboard were assigned to Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, according to Marines spokesperson Capt. Stephanie Leguizamon.