An Osprey plane with five Marines on board crashed in the Southern California desert Wednesday afternoon, officers stated.
The standing of the Marines wasn’t instantly accessible. The third Marine Aircraft Wing, an aviation squadron primarily based in San Diego, stated in an announcement that it was “asking for endurance as we work diligently with first responders and the unit to establish what occurred this afternoon.”
The plane, an MV-22B Osprey, was primarily based at Camp Pendleton, additionally in San Diego, the assertion stated.
Military officers stated early stories of nuclear materials on board the plane have been false.
The crash was reported at 12:25 p.m. close to Glamis, an space about 150 miles east of San Diego recognized for its desert sand dunes and different off-road sights, Naval Air Facility El Centro said.
Military firefighters and the Imperial County Fire Department have been responding, it stated.
The Osprey — which may take off and land like a helicopter, however fly like an airplane because of its “tiltrotor” engines — has had a troubled historical past over the two decades it has been flying in U.S. navy coaching workout routines and missions.
In March, an Osprey crashed throughout coaching workout routines with NATO allies in Norway, killing 4 U.S. Marines. The accident passed off throughout excessive winter situations.
Even although the Osprey was concerned in crashes that killed greater than 30 individuals earlier than it went into service in 2007, the Marine Corps has stood behind the automobile as comparatively secure and efficient.
This is a growing story. Please test again for updates.
Joe Studley, Gemma DiCasimirro and Alexandra Bacallao contributed.
