Kaneohe Marine helicopter crashes in Afghanistan
Flares are discharged from a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 (HMH-363) during a routine flight operation, Helmand River Valley, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012. Marine pilots of HMH-363 utilize flares ensuring the safety of the crew onboard and safe guarding the aircraft while in flight during poor visibility weather.
A CH-53D Sea Stallion from Kaneohe Bay lands on the deck of the amphibious helicopter assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard near Kauai on Friday bringing aboard supplies and Marines from Oahu.
A big CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopter from Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay crashed in southern Afghanistan today, officials confirmed.
Six International Security Assistance Force service members died following the crash in southern Afghanistan, ISAF said in a news release.
Fox News reported the dead are U.S. Marines. No identifications have been released.
ISAF said the cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash.
The release did not say how many were on the helicopter, or if any others were injured.
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All the Marine Corps’ Vietnam War-era Sea Stallion helicopters are based out of Kaneohe Bay. Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 out of Hawaii deployed to Afghanistan in August, replacing another Hawaii unit, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 463.
Marine Corps Base Hawaii referred questions to U.S. Central Command in Florida, which has command responsibility for Afghanistan. Officials there were not immediately able to provide more information.
