(Reuters) – Rescue crews in California were searching for a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter with five crew members aboard that went missing overnight, military officials said on Wednesday, after days of torrential rains in Southern California.
The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was reported overdue when it failed to reach the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, near San Diego, after departing Creech Air Force Base in Nevada about 40 miles (60 km) northwest of Las Vegas on Tuesday night, the Marine Corps said in a statement.
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing was coordinating a search and rescue effort with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the Civil Air Patrol, the Marines said.
The sheriff’s department could not be reached immediately for comment, but it told ABC News that it sent its own helicopter to search a remote area east of the city after receiving a call at 1:50 a.m. PST (0950 GMT). The sheriff’s helicopter was not able to reach the area due to rough weather, ABC reported. The sheriff’s department said it also sent all-terrain vehicles to search the area.
Firefighters also responded but crews were unable to locate the Marine helicopter, Cal Fire officials told ABC News.
Cal Fire officials could not immediately be reached for further comment.
(Reporting by Brendan O’Brien in Chicago; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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