The crash happened early Wednesday during training exercises in the Florida panhandle.
Seven Marines and four soldiers are presumed dead after a helicopter crash in Florida, according to officials at United States Air Force.
A UH-60 Black Hawk departs in Florida in 2014.
U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Christopher Callaway / Via hurlburt.af.mil
The missing crew were part of a two-chopper team carrying out night exercises near Eglin Air Force base on the Florida panhandle, the military said in a prepared statement. All of the missing service members were in one of the helicopters – the second returned safely.
Officials told the Associated Press at the base said the soldiers were from a National Guard unit based in Hammond, Louisiana. The Marines were part of a special operations group based out of Camp Lejeune, the Air Force said.
The helicopter was reported missing at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening. “Debris from the aircraft was located by search and rescue team at about 2 a.m. this morning. Search and rescue efforts are underway at the accident site currently,” according to the Air Force.
The crew were carrying out a routine training mission between Pensacola and Destin, on a remote swath of beach used by the military for test purposes.
Eglin spokesman Andy Bourland told AP it was too early to determine the cause of the crash. However, the said there had been “weather issues” overnight and limited visibility due to darkness and fog.
3/11/2015 – EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — Two Ch-60 aircraft assigned to the Hammond, La Army National Guard were participating in a training exercise over night. One aircraft with four aircrew and seven Marines assigned to Camp LaJeune, N.C, was involved in an accident near Eglin range site A-17, east of the Navarre Bridge. The helicopter was reported missing at about 8:30 p.m. March 10. Debris from the aircraft was located by search and rescue team at about 2 a.m. this morning. Search and rescue efforts are underway at the accident site currently. The second helicopter and its personnel on board have returned and are accounted for at this time. The aircraft are assigned to the 1-244th Assault Helicopter Battalion in Hammond, Louisiana. They were participating in a routine training mission involving the Marine Special Operations Regiment from Camp LeJeune. Names of the aircrew and Marines on board are being withheld pending NOK notification. The accident is under investigation. Additional details will be provided as they become available.
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11 Military Members Presumed Dead After Helicopter Crashes In Florida
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