Thread: 4 Marines feared dead in helicopter crash near US-Mexico border

4 Marines feared dead in helicopter crash near US-Mexico border

Fox News

4 Marines possibly killed in helicopter crash

Lucas Tomlinson has the latest details about the crash.

A U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crashed Tuesday -- killing its four crew members -- during exercises along the U.S.-Mexico border near Plaster City, Calif., military officials said.

“We are currently still responding to what we have confirmed as a single helicopter incident," said a Facebook post from the nearby Naval Air Facility El Centro.

The naval facility sent fire and security units as well as other helicopters to the scene of the crash, KYMA-TV reported.

The Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter reportedly belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in San Diego.

The Marine Corps was withholding the identities of those killed for 24 hours until next of kin notifications are complete.

“The status of all four is presumed dead pending positive identification,” read a statement from the aviation unit.

The head of Marine Corps aviation told Congress in November his CH-53 fleet was ‘inadequate,’ noting he only had 143 out of 200 required helicopters on the flight line and of those only 37 percent could fly.

The cause of the crash was under investigation. The crash would be the deadliest for the Marines since a July crash in the Mississippi Delta, which killed all 16 aboard.

Earlier Tuesday, a Marine Corps Harrier jet crashed in the East African nation of Djibouti. According to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command based in Bahrain, the pilot ejected shortly after takeoff and was in stable condition.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/04...co-border.html

So sad. Isn't that the second helicopter crash in a few days?

I think this is a result of mismanagement from the Pentagon. They want the latest fantasy technology so they let old, reliable technology die. We have F-16s and F-18s which cost, supposedly, about $60 million in today's economy. But the military want the F-35, which currently costs about $250 million. Four times as much. Yes, pilots are all for it. But most drivers would rather have a Ferrari. But we drive what we can afford. I think four F-18s can do more damage than one F-35. If the military heads would put their money in what we have, to keep them reliable, and put the dreams on the back burner, our military budget could work.

This looks too much like the practice of Apple slowing down old Ipads in order to get people to buy their newest model.