Search Launched for Missing Helicopter Carrying 5 U.S. Marines

Multiple agencies are searching for five U.S. Marines who were on board a helicopter that was reported missing early Wednesday.

The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was flying from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in the San Diego area when it was “reported overdue” on Tuesday night, the U.S. Marine Corps said. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed it had been contacted shortly before 2 a.m. to join the search efforts.

The department sent its own chopper to look for the aircraft but it was unable to reach the area due to powerful winter storms, according to ABC News, opting to send off-road vehicles to search the rough terrain instead. Cal Fire was also asked to assist, KGTV reports, with the agency sending firefighters to the helicopter’s last known location in the Cleveland National Forest. Officials said they were unable to find the aircraft.

Read more at The Daily Beast.