UPDATE: Marine Helicopter Found, Search Continues

The helicopter carrying five U.S. Marines in California that went missing has been located.

However, the service members remain missing.

Search and rescue crews began looking for a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter that was ‘reported overdue’ to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Tuesday night.

The helicopter departed from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas and was flying to Miramar.

DEVELOPING: Helicopter Carrying Multiple Marines Reported Missing

The helicopter reportedly crashed in Southern California's Pine Valley.

Cal Fire and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are leading the efforts to navigate the difficult terrain.

BREAKING: Marine Helicopter Crash Site Found in California, Urgent Search Underway for 5 Troops

- 5 US Marines missing after military helicopter crash in Southern California’s Pine Valley.

- CH-53E Super Stallion reported overdue while on its way from Las Vegas base to San… pic.twitter.com/gjbh4tXVj5

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 7, 2024

JUST IN: California search and rescue crews found a U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter carrying five U.S. service members in the area of Pine Valley, California. https://t.co/v52pwE2xey https://t.co/4hyawc314x

— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) February 7, 2024

“The U.S. Marine Corps is searching for five U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,” Marine Corps Air Station Miramar told Fox News.

“The Marines were flying a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from Creech Air Force Base to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar on Feb. 6, 2024, when the aircraft was reported overdue. The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is coordinating search and rescue efforts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Air Patrol. The most up-to-date information will be released as it becomes available,” the statement added.

BREAKING NEWS: Missing helicopter with 5 Marines on board prompts searchhttps://t.co/vIPDYoqx5K

— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 7, 2024

Fox News provided updates:

"The aircraft was located by civil authorities in Pine Valley, California, at 9:08 a.m. PST on February 7, 2024," the statement continued. "The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is managing search and rescue efforts through the Wings Operations Command Center and using ground and aviation assets to locate the aircrew in coordination with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and multiple federal, state and local agencies. The most up-to-date information will be released as soon as it becomes available."

The Marines say they are in contact with the San Diego County Sheriff's Office and are coordinating search efforts. The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter had departed Creech Air Force Base in Nevada en route to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar near San Diego Tuesday night.

First responders have requested additional resources to assist with the search effort due to heavy snow near Pine Valley, the San Diego County Fire Department said.

UPDATE: The missing military helicopter that had five Marines onboard has been found by search and rescue crews in a mountainous area outside San Diego.

Read more:https://t.co/ajRxBYgI98

— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) February 7, 2024

Per CNN:

Among those searching for the lost helicopter are California firefighters, Cal Fire San Diego spokesperson Mike Cornette told CNN.

Cal Fire San Diego deployed three fire engines and an ambulance after getting its first report about the lost aircraft at 2:20 a.m., agency spokesperson Mike Cornette told CNN, noting its last ping was recorded at 11:20 p.m. Tuesday.

Responders searched in Lake Morena, near a trailhead in the Cleveland National Forest but were hampered by “heavy snow and winter conditions,” forcing them to pull back before reengaging Wednesday, he said.

The sheriff’s department also faced difficult conditions in the search, which it joined around 3 a.m., two hours after getting a call about the missing helicopter, according to a news release sent before the aircraft was confirmed found.

“The current weather conditions are a mixture of snow and rain,” the release said, and “the Sheriff’s Department is currently using 4x4 Jeeps to search the area due to the difficult and muddy terrain.”

Super Stallion helicopters have been involved in several wrecks over the past decade, at least two of them fatal.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at 100 Percent Fed Up.

View the original article here.