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Military plane, helicopter collide off California
By GiGB
October 30, 2009
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AP – Map locates San Clemente Island, Calif., where a search is being conducted after a Coast Guard plane …
Play Video Video:Search continues following midair collision AP By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer Thomas Watkins, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 38 mins ago
LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Coast Guard and Navy were searching early Friday for as many as nine people off the Southern California coast following a collision between a Coast Guard plane and a Marine Corps helicopter, officials said.
The crash was reported at 7:10 p.m. Thursday, about 50 miles off the San Diego County coast and 15 miles east of San Clemente Island, Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer Allyson Conroy said.
A pilot reported seeing a fireball near where the aircraft collided, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said, and the Coast Guard informed the FAA that debris from a C-130 had been spotted. Seven people were on board the plane, a C-130, and two people were aboard the helicopter, he said.
Cpl Michael Stevens, a spokesman for the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, said the AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter was on a training mission when it went down. The Cobra and its crew are part of Marine Aircraft Group 39, based at Camp Pendleton, and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is headquartered at Miramar, Stevens said.
The missing Coast Guard plane and its crew are from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento, said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Jetta Disco. Crews from the Sacramento Coast Guard station fly search-and-rescue, law enforcement and logistics missions, Disco said.
The Coast Guard planned to search through the night, having sent three cutters and diverting an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to the area to search for survivors. The Navy, meanwhile, sent four vessels and multiple helicopters.
"The search condition are ideal for tonight," Lt. Josh Nelson of the Coast Guard told XETV in San Diego. "We've got a clear sky, the winds are calm, the seas are calm, and we have a lot of assets out there."
San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the eight Channel Islands located 68 nautical miles west of San Diego. The Navy has owned and trained at San Clemente Island since 1934, according to the island's Web site. Naval Air Station, North Island is responsible for the island's administration.
Earlier this week, it was an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter that collided with a UH-1 helicopter over southern Afghanistan, killing four American troops and wounding two more, a Marine spokesman said.
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Comments (9 comments)
Add your commentHi Hinzboyz and James!
Thank you both for responding to my posting. It is wonderful that you are studying nursing. And, James, we will keep your sons in our prayers. Before we transferred from the East coast, they sent my husband to Kuwait and Bahrain. He has been Army/Coast Guard for 27 years and has volunteered to go overseas for each war. I am proud of him. Let's keep in touch. By the way, the only update for the Coast Guard and Marine tragedy are the memorials held and that body recovery may not be possible. For the Coast Guard, this is the second air accident. Last one was last year and in Hawaiit at the AirStation, one body was not recovered. I feel like I am sad all the time from these tragedies.
GiGi
Blessings on you as you study for nursing!
I was a CNA in Las Vegas for 11 yrs before I was medically disabled, and I was starding to take steps to study to be an RN when the diaability hit me. As a CNA working in Home Health, and weekends in hospitals, I saw firsthand the dedication of those wonderful people who take up and continue in that caring profession.
I enjoyed being a CNA and would go back to it if my health would permit, but with my physical and cognative deficits I really doubt I would make it through nursing school, especially my clinicals. Blessing to you in your endeavor, sincerely, James
As I sit here in Michigan reading this story Im sadden, cause this kinda of thing is happening too too much these days. I have all the familys in my prayers and I feel for each and everyone of them. I always wanted to be a nurse on the med a vac helicopters but now its so much going on it frightens me so much. Im studying to become a nurse now, and all I want to do is take care of those who cant take care of themselves. Thank you so much for the information. Im sure all of us here at diabetic connect hold hands with all the familys long distance.
Thanks for your reply. Yes, those kind of things happen too often. It is sad when anyone loses their life suddenly in an accident, even something like an auto accident.
Thanks for asking about my sons. You can see a pic of me and my sons taken in Christmas 2004, the last time we all were together.
My eldest is in the Navy based in FL. He repairs propulsion systems on Frigates. Sometimes he has to travel to repair the ship where it breaks down, most of the time he is in FL for a routine overhaul of the system.
My middle son is in the Army Ntl Guard in Las Vegas NV. When he is on duty with the Guard, he operates a portable ground station to "talk" to communication satellites. His other work, when not on guard duty is he works in the electronics field for a government contractor. He jokes [or is he?] that he could tell me more about his job, but then he'd have to kill me.
My youngest, is in IA and has just completed his Army Basic and Advanced training [as an EMT] and is in the reserves while he attends college with the ROTC.
I am very PROUD of them ALL! Thanks for asking about them.
Hi Sorry I did not get back to you right away. Sadly, no survivors and the Coast Guard Community is sad. Last year we lost people in Hawaii when their plane went down. One body was never recovered. Seem to be happening too much in our own country. What branches are you sons in?
Have you heard from your friends in Sacto? Any further news? I am very concerned when anyone in the military gets hurt because all 3 of my sons are in the military.
my wife and I are praying now and have added those families to our prayer list.
my wife and I are praying now and have added those families to our prayer list.
This just happened last night. My husband is Army/Coast Guard for almost 28 years. We are stationed in California and are trying to contact friends stationed in Airstation Sacramento. Please, take a moment a say a prayer for all those families who have lost a loved one.