A crew member rescued Thursday in the waters near Japan where two Marine Corps aircraft collided during a training exercise has died, U.S. officials told Fox News.
The announcement of the death comes amid a frantic search for five other crew members who remain missing. Another Marine who was rescued is listed in fair condition.
The Marines said an F/A-18 fighter jet and a KC-130 refueling aircraft collided and crashed during training around 2 a.m. Thursday. The planes took off from their base in Iwakuni, near Hiroshima, and the crash occurred about 200 miles off the Japan coast.
“As to what was taking place when the mishap occurred, that is under investigation,” Maj. Eric Flanagan, a Marine Corps spokesman, told Fox News.
My thoughts and prayers are with the @USMC crew members who were involved in a mid-air collision off the coast of Japan. Thank you to @USForcesJapan for their immediate response and rescue efforts. Whatever you need, we are here for you. @IIIMEF
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 6, 2018
There were two crew members in the F/A-18 and five in the KC-130 at the time of the incident. – READ MORE