US Coast Guard: 2 Marine Helicopters Collided Off Hawaiian Island

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for survivors and the remnants of two Marine Corps heavy lift aircraft that apparently collided late Thursday just before midnight off the coast of Oahu, where the helicopter crews were stationed.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing a debris field off the coast, including an empty life raft, but there were no signs of any survivors.

“A very large northwest swell will build rapidly this morning and and peak later today”, the warning says, “producing unsafe surf conditions along most north and west facing shores of the smaller islands”.

The helicopters were carrying 12 Marines, six on each aircraft, part of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Marine officials contacted the Coast Guard about the missing aircraft around 11 p.m. (4 a.m. Friday ET), Mooers said.

The Coast Guard was also sending two ships from neighboring islands.

The Coast Guard is the lead agency for the search. A Navy helicopter crew has joined the Coast Guard and local firefighters on the search mission.

CNN affiliate KHON in Hawaii reported that witnesses said they heard a loud boom over the water and saw a flash in the sky.

The two Marine helicopters were reported to have had a total of 12 passengers on board. The Marine Corps has launched an investigation into the incident.

The helicopters were from the Marine Corps Base Hawaii near Honolulu, the Marine Corps said. There is an active high surf warning in the area from the National Weather Service.