|
 The Coast Guard said that as of sunset on Tuesday evening, when
the effort was formally called off, some 40,000 square nautical
miles of ocean had been searched, along with shorelines.
"A decision to suspend searching without finding survivors is
extremely difficult given the depth of its impact and I know I speak
for the entire Coast Guard when I say our thoughts and prayers are
with Marine Corps helicopter squadron and particularly with families
and loved ones of those missing," Captain Jim Jenkins, acting
commander of the Coast Guard's 14th District, said.
The Coast Guard would support any future search operations Marine
Corps might want to launch, he added.
 The CH-53E helicopters belonging to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing
from the Marine Corps Air Station at Kaneohe Bay were on a routine
training mission when they were reported to have collided just
before midnight local time, according to the Coast Guard.
The search was hampered by storms.
A Coast Guard helicopter crew spotted debris in the water off the
town of Haleiwa on the north shore of Oahu but no passengers were
found. The debris field spanned more than 7 miles (11.27 km) off the
coast, the Coast Guard said.
[to top of second column] |
No distress call was issued by either aircraft. Authorities were
notified by a man standing on the beach who saw a fireball over the
ocean after seeing the helicopters flying in that area, Carr said at
a news conference.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen
Coates)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
