All 5 Marines killed in California helicopter crash identified
All five of the U.S. Marines killed in a helicopter crash Tuesday in Southern California have been identified.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KSWB/KUSI) -- All five of the U.S. Marines killed in a helicopter crash Tuesday in southeastern San Diego County have been identified.
Prior to the release of all their names by the Marine Corps, the wife of Sgt. Alec Langen confirmed that her husband was among the fallen servicemembers. The 23-year-old, who's from Chandler, Arizona, was reported to be a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
The other four victims of the crash, according to military officials, include:
- Lance Cpl. Donovan Davis, 21, of Olathe, Kansas. He was a CH-53E helicopter crew chief.
- Capt. Benjamin Moulton, 27, of Emmett, Idaho. He was a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
- Capt. Jack Casey, 26, of Dover, New Hampshire. He was a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
- Capt. Miguel Nava, 28, of Traverse City, Michigan. He was a CH-53E helicopter pilot.
All of the Marines were part of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter that went down was flying from Creech Air Force Base, northwest of Las Vegas, to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego. The crash occurred in the area of Pine Valley during a routine training mission.
In a statement posted to social media Thursday night, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said, "This tragic mishap will be thoroughly investigated to identify the causes, learn from them, and take action to reduce further mishaps."
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing is coordinating recovery efforts with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Civil Air Patrol, among others. As of Friday morning, those efforts remained ongoing.
Rescue crews told Nexstar's FOX 5/KUSI that the chopper crashed in an area that is difficult to access because it’s so remote. Harsh weather conditions were also reported to be a factor as this week saw a winter storm warning for San Diego-area mountains.