Mysterious Disappearance of Military Chopper Resolved, Search for Five Marines Underway
In a recent incident that unfolded on Tuesday, a military helicopter mysteriously vanished while on its route from Nevada to California. The following morning, the missing chopper was discovered in the southern region of California. However, the worries persist as five Marines who were on board at the time of the disappearance are still unaccounted for, leading to a continued search and rescue operation, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.
The helicopter, known as the CH-53E Super Stallion, was reported "overdue" on Tuesday evening at the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The chopper had initially taken off from Creech Air Force Base located near Las Vegas, with its destination being Miramar in the San Diego area.
In an effort to expedite the search, the Marines sought assistance from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Air Patrol. The Sheriff's department, in response to the call received at 1:50 a.m., dispatched its own helicopter. However, the adverse weather conditions brought on by an atmospheric river storm hindered the aerial search. This led to the deployment of off-road vehicles to traverse the challenging terrain in the search area.
The missing Super Stallion helicopter was eventually located at 9:08 a.m. on Wednesday. Despite the resolution of the chopper’s disappearance, the rescue missions are still in progress for the five missing Marines.
President Joe Biden has been informed about the incident, as confirmed by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. "We're monitoring the situation closely," said John Kirby, spokesperson for White House national security, adding, "Our thoughts are for the best."