Update on Lost USMC Helicopter in Nepal
The USMC UH-1 helicopter that was missing in Nepal has been located approximately 15 miles from the town of Charikot. Regrettably, the aircraft appears to have crashed and burned.
Three sets of remains have been recovered so far. Though search and recovery operations continue, at this point survivors from the crash are not expected.
The eight personnel were on board the aircraft at the time of loss – 2 Nepalese soldiers and 6 US Marines. At the time of its loss, the aircraft was participating in the delivery of relief supplies to Charikot in the aftermath of the recent Nepal earthquake.
Rest in peace, my brothers in arms. May God comfort your surviving family and friends.
Category: Blue Skies
RIP
Damn it.
I was just hoping that they were playing Hide-and-seek.
This sucks.
Pilot from Wichita and was a football coach and all around great guy according to the news caste. They also reported he was flying a Huey helicopter. I thought they had all been retired? I mean this is a Vietnam era unit flying at 11,000 feet in the Himalayas?
They have retired the original Vietnam era models but the Marine Corps uses upgraded UH-1 models. These are modern equivalents of the Vietnam one. Upgrade avionics, upgraded engine, ect. Your point of a Huey operating at that altitude is a good one. Single rotary aircraft such as the UH-1 types and even UH-60 types are not as stable in those environments.
The Marine Corps currently operates the UH-1Y, which is in all respects a completely different bird from the Vietnam era Huey. It has 4 rotor blades, added an extra engine, new avionics etc. Like Climb to Glory said though, light transport helicopters should not be used in that type of environment.
Saw this early, much sadness at the loss of men trying to offer aid in a righteous effort for a poor nation.
My condolences to their families and friends. Some losses certainly hit hard and this appears to be one the tough ones.
RIP… We honor your service. rest well
Rest In Peace Fallen Warriors, God Bless.
RIP, brothers.
I was so hoping for better news…
RIP to the fallen and peace to their family, comrades and friends.
I’m not feeling very spiritual today. I’m with Chip on this…it sucks.
May our Warriors Rest in Peace.
Rest in peace.
Saw it on the news. Not what I had hoped for. RIP, all.
Hoping against hope a mechanical had forced a decent landing in a radio-dead valley or some such – as someone said, it shows how the job is deadly on the best of days, even on a humanitarian mission. “Greater love has no man than this” etc. God bless you all, guys.
Yeah, I was hoping that if it was indeed a fuel issue, they had autorotated onto a nice flat, forgiving surface and were maybe trying to hump it out. Wreckage isn’t good. At all. I’ll await official confirmation, though.
“… I was hoping that if it was indeed a fuel issue, they had autorotated onto a nice flat, forgiving surface and were maybe trying to hump it out.”
Me, too.
God bless all these Marines. Rest in peace and God bless your families. We will, find you and bring you all home.
Guinness will be raised in honor of these brave souls.
May our Brethren RIP. SEMPER FI Go with God
Families are grieving, American and Hepalese. May the Lord comfort them.
Dying while doing a Good Work is a pretty good way to go, IMO. Still, it is a bitter cup.
I dont think I have ever heard of a happy ending when an Aircraft goes missing
Fox News is now reporting all 8 bodies were found at the crash site.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/05/16/all-8-bodies-found-at-crashed-us-marine-chopper-nepal-army-says/
Rest in peace, men. Rest in peace.