‘Five people presumed dead’ after MV-22B Osprey with 3rd Marine Air Wing crashes in California
‘Five people presumed dead’ after MV-22B Osprey belonging to 3rd Marine Air Wing crashes in the Californian desert
The crash happened near Glamis, 30 miles north of the Mexican border and 150 miles east of San DiegoNaval Air Facility El Centro said that the aircraft belonged to the 3rd Marine Air Wing, which is based in Miramar, San Diego Five people were on board and all are presumed dead, according to FOX 5 reporter Malik EarnestThe military has not confirmed how many people were on board, but they said initial reports that there was nuclear material on the aircraft were incorrect Rescue teams from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma are en route to the crash site along with local fire and rescue teams
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A Marine unit of five, including the pilot, are feared dead after their military aircraft crashed in the California desert.
The MV-22B Osprey crashed in Imperial County near Highway 78 and the town of Glamis – 30 miles north of the Mexican border, and 150 miles east of San Diego.
The aircraft belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, headquartered in Miramar, San Diego.
Rumors the plane was carrying nuclear material have since been debunked.
The crash was confirmed by Naval Air Facility El Centro.
‘We can confirm that an aircraft belonging to 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing crashed near Glamis, CA,’ they stated on their Facebook page. ‘3rd MAW has units based in Miramar, Yuma, Pendleton and Twentynine Palms. Military and civilian first responders are on site.
‘Contrary to initial reports, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft. More information will be made available as we receive it.’
The crash happened about 12:25pm local time, said 1st Lt. Duane Kampa, a 3rd MAW spokesman.
Officials believe at least five people were aboard at the time of the crash.
Investigators have presumed all passengers are dead, according to FOX 5 reporter Malik Earnest.
Footage from News 11 Yuma showed military personnel and first responders gathering in the desert, with a helicopter flying off to the crash site. Smoke could be faintly seen on the horizon.
First responders and military personnel are seen arriving at the site of Wednesday’s crash
A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey is pictured in October 2009, refueling mid air. An aircraft like this crashed on Wednesday
A helicopter is seen on Wednesday taking off near Glamis, to aid the rescue effort
The aircraft crashed on military land in a desert area 30 miles from the border with Mexico
The MV-22B Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft, built by Boeing, which can carry 24 Marine combat troops, according to Military.com.
Boeing say it is ‘a joint service multirole combat aircraft’ which has both the vertical performance of a helicopter and the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.
‘With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter,’ Boeing explain.
‘Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.
‘This combination results in global reach capabilities that allow the V-22 to fill an operational niche unlike any other aircraft.’
They have been in use since 2007.
The aircraft were first tested in 1989, but the program initially struggled, and there were several crashes during tests that resulted in 30 deaths.
Adjustments were made by the Navy and Marine Corps, and it was first deployed in Iraq.
U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform at Naval Air Facility El Centro on March 13, 2021. The base is only around 30 miles from the site of the crash
Glamis is famed for the Algodones Dunes, 30 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. This is where the crash occurred
Naval Air Facility El Centro is around 30 miles from the crash site
