A Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter flies during training at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. A Marine Corps helicopter, like the one pictured, that had been missing with five troops aboard as an historic storm continued drenching California was found Wednesday morning, Feb. 7, 2024, in a mountainous area outside San Diego.(K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP)
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The military says five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that went down during stormy weather in the mountains outside of San Diego are confirmed dead. The miliary made the announcement early Thursday. Authorities say the CH-53E Super Stallion vanished late Tuesday night while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after training at Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas. The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near the mountain community of Pine Valley, an hour’s drive from San Diego. The names of the Marines were not immediately released. Efforts to recover the remains of the five have begun and an investigation into the crash is underway,