No one saw this coming. Off the coast of Oahu, two Marine Corps helicopters went missing about two and a half miles off the shore of the island.
The only indicator as to what may have happened is the fiery debris field and life raft found in the area where the helicopters may have crashed into one another. There are no indicators of any survivors, or how many perished.
While there are no indicators that this was a planned attack or simply an accident, nothing is being ruled out. Coast Guard has dispatched rescue boats and aircraft to the area, but nothing and no one has yet surfaced to give an account of what happened.
Foxtrot Alpha has details,
Reports indicate that the two helicopters are thought to have collided while operating in the dark. Both were based out of MCAS Kaneohe Bay, and each helicopter was carrying six people. Potentially complicating search and rescue efforts are massive waves along Oahu’s North Shore, which are forecast to be the biggest of the season, raising between 30 and 40 feet today.
Although the exact type of helicopters missing remains unknown, MCAS Keneohe Bay hosts rotations of many helicopters representing the full USMC inventory on a temporary basis. It is also home to HMH-464 the “Pegasus” squadron, who operate CH-53E Sea Stallions. Additionally, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367 (HMLA-367), also known as “Scarface” Squadron, which flies UH-1Y Venom multi-role utility helicopters, as well as the AH-1Z Viper variant of the venerable Cobra attack helicopter, also calls the base home.
More as we have it.
(Source: Foxtrot Alpha)