Search called off for missing Marines
The Stars & Stripes reports that the Navy has called off the search for the three Marines missing in the crash of a Marine Corps Osprey that had launched from the USS Bonhomme Richard yesterday;
The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps suspended the rescue operation and launched a recovery effort instead, the Marine base Camp Butler in Japan said in a statement, essentially confirming the military does not expect to find the missing Marines alive.
The Marines’ next of kin had been notified, and Australia’s defense force was assisting the Americans with the recovery effort, the statement said.
The incident is a reminder that, in the military, every day can be deadly, even if it’s only training.
Category: Marine Corps
RIP to the fallen…
Semper Fidelis and RIP to the fallen Marines.
Rest in peace Marines.
Amen to the training comment. Realistic training is dangerous. All you have to do is look at the causalities at the NTC in the early days.
Thank you for serving, young people. I’ll be seeing you in a while.
Requesting Comfort for the grieving families.
Rest in peace, Marines! Praying for the families. . .
This is so sad. Requiesce in pace, Marines.
Prayers up.
I’m so sorry.
http://www.marines.mil/News/Press-Releases/Press-Release-Display/Article/1269359/transition-to-mv-22-mishap-recovery-and-salvage-efforts/
‘Transition to MV-22 mishap recovery and salvage efforts’
August / 5 / 2017
‘MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP BUTLER, Okinawa, Japan —
On Aug. 6 at around 3:00 a.m. local time, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps suspended search and rescue operations for three Marines involved in the Aug. 5 MV-22 Osprey mishap off the east coast of Australia. Operations have now shifted to recovery efforts. The next-of-kin for the three missing Marines have been notified.
The transition comes after teams led continuous sustained search efforts supported by aircraft and ships. As the sea state permits, recovery efforts will be conducted to further search, assess and survey the area, in coordination and with assistance from the Australian Defence Force. Recovery and salvage operations can take several months to complete, but can be extended based on several environmental factors.
The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation, and there is no additional information available at this time.’
This hits me pretty hard as I spent two years on the 31st MEU staff (mid-2012 to mid 2014). We had 3 helicopter “hard landings” but, miraculously, no one died. [Sadly, one of the pilots is still recuperating from serious burns.] Still, this is a reminder of how deadly serious any exercise can be.
I pray for the Marines and their families. I think it will probably hit harder being so unexpected. No one expects to not come back from an exercise, but there are always risks. God speed, Marines.
Here are pictures of Talisman Saber 2013 and Exercise Koolendong – just south of Darwin.
https://get.google.com/albumarchive/104745627018165888181/album/AF1QipOyJT64160M_UBVGBDS_JR9Yvmi9hRNnQsTSoCK
UPDATE
“Marines declare 3 missing from Osprey ‘deceased'”
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/08/07/osprey-crash-marines-declare-3-missing-from-plane-deceased.html
“A trio of Marines, who’ve been missing since Saturday when their MV-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Australia, were officially declared ‘deceased’ by the Marine Corps on Monday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News.
The news followed an intensive search effort conducted by American and Australian forces.
The MV-22 crashed while on final approach to USS Green Bay, a Navy amphibious ship off the east coast of Australia, on Saturday afternoon, local time.
An official who has read the preliminary investigation into the incident told Fox News that the Marine MV-22 Osprey — part helicopter, part airplane — crashed into the back of the warship before tumbling into the sea.
The MV-22 Osprey had taken off from USS Bonhomme Richard earlier Saturday.
Notifications have been completed to the family members. The names of the Marines were expected to be released later Monday or on Tuesday.”