9 remain missing after collision off Calif.

[unhappycamper]

An AH-1W Super Cobra performs a low altitude surveillance pass in this May 26 photo. A helicopter similar to this one is believed to be missing after a Coast Guard plane collided with the military helicopter off the Southern California coast Thursday, officials said.


9 remain missing after collision off Calif.
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Oct 30, 2009 17:19:44 EDT

SAN DIEGO — Marine Corps and Coast Guard officials held out hope Friday but feared the loss of nine service members after an AH-1W Super Cobra collided in the air Thursday night with a C-130 turbo aircraft near San Clemente Island.

While officials were just starting their investigation, the top commander of San Diego-based 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing immediately ordered an “operational pause,” grounding all its aircraft at least through the weekend, a spokesman said.

The collision was the second in a week involving Marine helicopters. The other occurred in Afghanistan, killing four Marines.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Conant, the wing commander, ordered the pause so commanders could discuss the incidents with their Marines, said Maj. Jay Delarosa, a wing spokesman.

“We have no reason to believe at this time there were any mechanical problems,” Delarosa said.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/marine_cobra_crash_103009w/