Search for Five Marines Continues After Helicopter Found Near San Diego

The Marine Corps said Wednesday it is searching for five Marines who were onboard a helicopter that went missing on its way to San Diego a day earlier.

The Marines said civil authorities found the helicopter on Wednesday morning in Pine Valley, California, about 40 miles east of San Diego. It didn’t describe the aircraft’s condition. The helicopter had taken off from Creech Air Force Base outside Las Vegas on Tuesday for a routine training flight.

The helicopter was reported overdue on Tuesday when it didn’t land at the Miramar air station in San Diego, said Capt. Stephanie Leguizamon of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

California for several days has been dealing with an atmospheric river causing heavy rain and high winds. State fire officials said they were searching for the helicopter in an area covered in snow that was hard to access.