7 Marines killed in midair helicopter crash

By John Bacon, USA TODAY

AH-1W Cobra helicopter

CAPTION

USMC

Seven Marines died when two helicopters crashed last night at the Yuma Training Range Complex, the Marines announced today.

Updated at 11:52 a.m.: The service members with the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing were based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Lt. Maureen Dooley with Miramar Air Base in California says. The helicopters collided in a remote portion of the traning range complex on the California side of the Chocolate Mountains very close to the Arizona border, Dooley tells the Associated Press.

Updated at 10:48 a.m. ET: Cpl. Steven Posy, with Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, tells The Arizona Repulic that the weather "was pretty mild last night."

Updated at 10 a.m. ET: The aircraft collided in a remote portion of the Yuma Training Range Complex. "We're still gathering a lot of details as the sun comes up," Lt. Maureen Dooley with the Miramar Air Base in California tells CNN.

Updated at 9:42 a.m. ET: A military official says the helicopters crashed near the Chocolate Mountains in southeast California, the Associated Press reports.

Updated at 9:25 a.m. ET: The Marines statement, in full: Two helicopters belonging to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing collided in a remote portion of the Yuma Training Range Complex killing seven Marines Feb 22.

The aircraft, an AH-1W "Cobra" and an UH-1Y "Huey", were conducting routine training operations around 8:00 p.m (local time). Identities of the Marines will be withheld until next of kin have been notified. The incident is currently under investigation.

Update at 9:08 a.m. ET: The Yuma base's website says the base includes approximately 4,000 active-duty Marines and sailors. "With access to 2.8 million acres of bombing and aviation training ranges and superb flying weather, MCAS Yuma supports 80% of the Corps' air-to-ground aviation training." CNN, citing a Marine Corps official, says the aircraft involved were a UH-1 and a AH-1W.

Original post: Seven Marines were killed when two helicopters collided Wednesday night near Yuma, Ariz., NBC News reports, citing Pentagon officials.

The Marines, from the 3rd Marine Airwing based at Miramar in Southern California, were conducting a training exercise when their Cobra and Huey helicopters collided in the air. There were no survivors, NBC says.

The cause of the crash was under investigation. The identities of the seven killed have not been released pending formal notification of family members.