Rescuers search for 12 Marines from downed helicopters

The search area grew throughout the day, and by about 2 p.m. spanned some 20 miles along the shoreline, from Mokuleia Beach to Turtle Bay.

Teams are expanding their search for 12 Marines missing after a helicopter crash to include Oahu’s western coast.

Two Alabama natives among a dozen Marines missing after two helicopters crashed Thursday during a training flight off the coast of the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, AL.com reported Saturday (Jan. 16).

The Coast Guard is encouraging local surfers and tourists to stay away from the water, due to the dangers of the heavy waves and debris.

The Coast Guard initially reported that the helicopters had collided, but Capt Irish said it was not clear what happened.

There was no immediate word on what caused the collision.

The Coast Guard said each of the aircraft had six people aboard, and they were from the Kaneohe Bay U.S. Marine Corps Air Station nearby.

The aircraft are from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii, according to the U.S. Marine Corps.

“I threw my blanket off, put my slippers on and ran outside thinking it was a auto accident”, she said.

She expressed concern for the crew as she watched the pounding surf from Haleiwa.

Authorities have said they are hopeful, however, that survivors will be found.

Rescuers have been searching round-the-clock since the Coast Guard was notified late Thursday of the crash by a civilian who saw the aircraft flying and then disappear and a fireball.

“Everybody’s putting every available resource they have to try and find survivors from this accident”, Coast Guard Lt. Scott Carr said Friday. Irish says he doesn’t know whether it was a collision because the investigation hasn’t been completed. They want the families of the missing Marines to know they are there for them, he added. Winds will be relatively calm.

“That is moving that debris all over the place”, Carr said.

“The Town of Hingham stands with the Orlando family in this very hard time”, Paul Healey, a Hingham town selectman, told Boston.com.

The wide-ranging search for the Marines was hampered by high surf and poor visibility from rainstorms. “We have a general idea so the search has actually expanded in a wider area right now”, said Guy Chang, Department of Land and Natural Resources. Lifeguards also pitched in, searching within a mile of shore for debris.

The newspaper identified the man as 21-year-old Ty Hart from Stayton, Oregon.

KPRC also received reports from the families of two Houston marines, Maj.

Family members of a Marine they believe was aboard one of two helicopters that collided off Hawaii are holding out hope that he survived. A Marine officer visited her at home to brief her. Campbell has a wife and four children, and has done three tours of duty in the Middle East.