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jp2usmc
02-23-12, 10:51 AM
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/02/report-7-marines-die-in-arizona-helicopter-crash/1#.T0Zsh_HpEy0


http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/on-deadline/2012/02/23/chopperx-wide-community.jpg
Seven Marines died when two helicopters crashed last night near Arizona's Yuma Training Range Complex, the Marines announced today.

Updated at 10:48 a.m. ET: Cpl. Steven Posy, with Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, tells The Arizona Repulic that the weather "was pretty mild last night."

Updated at 10 a.m. ET: The aircraft collided in a remote portion of the Yuma Training Range Complex. "We're still gathering a lot of details as the sun comes up," Lt. Maureen Dooley with the Miramar Air Base in California tells CNN.

Updated at 9:42 a.m. ET: A military official says the helicopters crashed near the Chocolate Mountains in southeast California, the Associated Press reports.

Updated at 9:25 a.m. ET: The Marines statement, in full: Two helicopters belonging to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing collided in a remote portion of the Yuma Training Range Complex killing seven Marines Feb 22.

The aircraft, an AH-1W "Cobra" and an UH-1Y "Huey", were conducting routine training operations around 8:00 p.m (local time). Identities of the Marines will be withheld until next of kin have been notified. The incident is currently under investigation.

Update at 9:08 a.m. ET: The Yuma base's website says the base includes approximately 4,000 active-duty Marines and sailors. "With access to 2.8 million acres of bombing and aviation training ranges and superb flying weather, MCAS Yuma supports 80% of the Corps' air-to-ground aviation training." CNN, citing a Marine Corps official, says the aircraft involved were a UH-1 and a AH-1W.

Original post: Seven Marines were killed when two helicopters collided Wednesday night near Yuma, Ariz., NBC News reports, citing Pentagon officials.

The Marines, from the 3rd Marine Airwing based at Miramar in Southern California, were conducting a training exercise when their Cobra and Huey helicopters collided in the air. There were no survivors, NBC says.

The cause of the crash was under investigation. The identities of the seven killed have not been released pending formal notification of family members.

Burke7051
02-23-12, 11:01 AM
2 military helicopters crash near Yuma, killing 7 Marines

by Cassondra Strande - Feb. 23, 2012 08:55 AM
The Arizona Republic-12 News Breaking News Team

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/02/23/20120223arizona-helicopters-crash-near-yuma-killing-7-report-says.html

Seven U.S. Marines were killed after two military helicopters collided near Yuma Wednesday night, military officials said.

The Marines were from the 3rd Marine Airwing based at Miramar Marine Corp Air Station in San Diego, according to officials from Miramar.

The collision between an AH-1 W Cobra and UH-1 Y Huey occurred in a remote location of the Yuma Training Range Complex during a normal training operation around 8 p.m., the United States Marine Corp said in a release.

Typically the Cobra aircraft carries a pilot and a copilot while the Huey can carry up to 10 passengers, according to documents released from the Marine Corp.

Identities of the Marines have not been released, and an investigation has been launched into the cause of the collision.

"We're still gathering a lot of details as the sun comes up," said Lt. Maureen Dooley with the Miramar Air Base.

Capt. Staci Reidinger, director of public affairs at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, said earlier Thursday that the crash happened west of the Chocolate Mountains in California, though the exact location hasn't been confirmed.

"It's not in a populated area," she said.

Arizona Sen. John McCain said his thoughts and prayers are with the families of the seven Marines.

"This tragedy is a grave reminder of the sacrifices the men and women of our armed forces make to keep us safe - both in training here at home and in combat abroad," McCain said.

Cpl. Steven Posy with Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar said Thursday the weather "was pretty mild last night."

The Yuma Training Range is almost 1.2 million acres of land in Southwestern Arizona and Southeastern California that is used primarily for military flight training and is secured from public access.

There have been other military accidents in the area.

In May 2008, a Marine Corps Harrier attack jet crashed while on a training mission on the Barry M. Goldwater Range southeast of Yuma, but both pilots ejected safely, officials said.

Another Marine Harrier jet crashed in November 2007 near the Goldwater Range while on a routine training mission about 40 miles east of Yuma. The pilot successfully ejected himself from the aircraft.

In August 2007, four were killed and one survived when a Marine Corps search-and-rescue HH-1N Huey helicopter went down during a training exercise near the Colorado River about 20 miles north of Yuma.
Also, several accidents have happened in the past year involving Marine Corps training in Southern California.

In September, a helicopter went down during a training exercise at Camp Pendleton, killed the two Marines on board and set off a fast-moving brush fire at Camp Pendleton.

In August, two Marines were ejected from their F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet as it plunged toward the Pacific Ocean. The two Marines spent four hours in the dark, chilly ocean before they were rescued. Both suffered broken bones but survived.

In July, a decorated Marine from western New York was killed during a training exercise when his UH-1Y helicopter went down in a remote section of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego.

Another Hornet sustained at least $1 million damage when its engine caught fire on March 30 aboard the USS John C. Stennis during a training exercise about 100 miles off the San Diego coast. Eight sailors, a Marine and two civilians were injured.

A decade ago, in February 2002, a helicopter crash in the Chocolate Mountains in eastern Imperial County, Calif., killed two Camp Pendleton Marines and injured two others. The UH-1N Huey was on a routine training mission in the Naval gunnery range.

__________________________________________________ __________

RIP BROTHERS... :(

Conch
02-23-12, 12:39 PM
RIP Brothers...:usmc:

irpat54
02-23-12, 01:36 PM
RIP brothers,,

kbay0351
02-23-12, 01:58 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/23/2-military-helicopters-collide-in-southeast-california/

YUMA, Ariz. – Two military helicopters collided Wednesday night near a remote region in southeast California, killing seven Marines, the Marine Corps said in a statement.
The helicopters, an AH-1W “Cobra” and UH-1Y “Huey,” were conducting a routine training exercise at 8 p.m., the statement said. The helicopters were over southeast California in the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Dustin Dunk, the public affairs chief from the air station, said.

(http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/23/officials-car-bomb-kills-8-in-baghdad/?intcmp=related)
Maureen Dooley, a Miramar public affairs officer, told Fox News Radio that Marines use the training area because the terrain is similar to what they would face in Afghanistan. These training sessions help them gain some familiarity before they deploy.
"We do not know what caused it," Dooley said. "That is what the investigation will reveal to us."
The Marines started an investigation into the incident, which can take months to complete.
The identities of the Marines will be released after their families are informed about the incident.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said his thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed in the crash.
"This tragedy is a grave reminder of the sacrifices the men and women of our armed forces make to keep us safe – both in training here at home and in combat abroad," he said in a statement.
Capt. Staci Reidinger, director of public affairs at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma said earlier Thursday that the crash happened west of the Chocolate Mountains in California, though the exact location hasn't been confirmed.
"It's not in a populated area," she said.
Several accidents have happened in the past year involving Marine Corps training in Southern California.
In September, a helicopter went down during a training exercise at Camp Pendleton, killed the two Marines onboard and set off a fast-moving brush fire at Camp Pendleton.
In August, two Marines were ejected from their F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet as it plunged toward the Pacific Ocean. The two Marines spent four hours in the dark, chilly ocean before they were rescued. Both survived.
In July, a decorated Marine from western New York was killed during a training exercise when his UH-1Y helicopter went down in a remote section of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego.
Another Hornet sustained at least $1 million damage when its engine caught fire on March 30 aboard the USS John C. Stennis during a training exercise about 100 miles off the San Diego coast. Eight sailors, a Marine and two civilians were injured.
A decade ago, in February 2002, a helicopter crash in the Chocolate Mountains in eastern Imperial County, Calif., killed two Camp Pendleton Marines and injured two others. The UH-1N "Huey" was on a routine training mission in the Naval gunnery range.

Rocky C
02-23-12, 02:39 PM
I just read that on MSN.

RIP Marines.
Prayers Outbound...

Semper Fi,
Rocky

Rocky C
02-23-12, 02:46 PM
Duplicate Threads in 3 differant Forums merged together as one.

FistFu68
02-23-12, 02:56 PM
:usmc: Their In Gods Hands now...No More Worries...Rest In Peace United States Marines...Semper Fidelis :iwo:

foreverproud
02-24-12, 12:39 AM
Rest in Peace, Marines. Thank you for your service.

Deepest condolences to the grieving families and friends.

irpat54
02-24-12, 03:10 AM
i hope this link works cos you can send thoughts and prayers to the people there at the bottom of the article,

http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_central_southern_az/yuma/many-mourn-after-crash-kills-7-marines-near-yuma

Cando
02-26-12, 01:24 PM
AMEN,

May we all respect our brothers.

Semper Fi

charm1110
02-28-12, 02:30 AM
Rest In Peace Marines.