Two CH-53 Sea Stallions Collide Off North Shore of Oahu

[A Life Aloft]

"The U.S. Coast Guard says it has responded to a report of a military aircraft collision involving two Marine helicopters off the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii, Chief Petty Officer Fara Mooers told ABC News.

Responders are searching for 12 people in a debris field 2 miles off the coast of Haleiwa. Each helicopter was carrying six people.

The Marine Corps said in a news release that the aircraft were from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

The Coast Guard received a call from the Marine Corp Air Station, Kane’ohe Bay, at 11:38 p.m. local time Thursday requesting assistance.

Officials launched Coast Guard aircraft -- a MH65 helicopter and an HC130 Coast Guard airplane -- from Oahu.

The Coast Guard is searching the debris with assistance from a Navy helicopter crew and the Honolulu Fire Department with a helicopter and rescue boat on scene.

They have not located any personnel at this time and are continuing to search."

and:

HALEIWA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

"Rescue crews are searching for 12 service members on board two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters that crashed off Oahu’s North Shore late Thursday night.

The Marine Corps confirmed there is an active search and rescue operation underway for two Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, each with six personnel aboard. Officials said the helicopters collided near Haleiwa and landed in the water.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Fara Mooers said the Marine Corps Air Station in Kaneohe requested assistance following reports of a collision at around 10:40 p.m. She said a Waialua resident reported hearing aircraft and then saw a fireball. Another individual reported seeing a flare. Upon further investigation, the Coast Guard determined it was a possible Marine Corps aircraft collision.

"Crews discovered a life raft with no one on board and visible flames on the water," Mooers said.

Marine Corps Capt. Timothy Irish said the service members were conducting a routine night training that started from Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe and expected to conclude there.

The Coast Guard dispatched a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a HC-130 aircraft, both of which arrived on scene shortly after midnight. Two Coast Guard Cutters – the 87-foot Ahi from Maui and the 110-foot Kiska from the Big Island – have also been requested.

Responders are searching for survivors in a debris field north of Haleiwa, the Coast Guard said. The initial debris field was about a half mile offshore, but has drifted at least 8 miles offshore since then. The search area spans about 20 miles along the shoreline.

“Anytime you are dealing with a debris field … that’s pretty normal that it will move,” Coast Guard Lt. Scott Carr said in a phone interview on Hawaii News Now Sunrise. “As you go over time in any search and rescue, the area typically starts to get bigger."

The Honolulu Fire Department -- with help from federal firefighters -- and the U.S. Navy are also assisting with assets currently on scene. The Kaneohe-based HSM 39 Navy attacker helicopter has been dispatched and two Navy destroyers -- the USS John Paul Jones and USS Gridley -- are currently en route to the islands to help with search and rescue efforts, the Navy said. Each ship can hold up to 300 sailors.

Conditions on Friday include mostly cloudy skies with 10 mph winds and 8-foot seas. Surf on Oahu’s North Shore is expected to be 35 to 45 feet high beginning Friday with the largest swell of the season rolling in. “That will certainly make our search efforts a little more daunting at this time,” Carr said."

How horrible....so terribly sorry/sad.........hoping against hope for survivors.....hearts and thoughts to their fellow soldiers, families and friends. Damn. RIP.

 

[CUTigerPilot]

Terrible news. I hope they are able to find survivors. Always sad to see aviation related casualties, but it especially hits home when its military related.

 

[BobDDuck]

Huge swell today too isn't helping.

 

[A Life Aloft]

The conditions are pretty hampering/rough.

Just gut wrenching

 

[dustoff17]

Terrible.............RIP......

 

[MikeD]

Sadly, night midairs happen, even under NVGs, for any variety of reasons and generally not new reasons. Similar to NVG CFIT in some cases. Fair chances that this will be an old lesson needing to be reemphasized. Time will tell.

 

[frog_flyer]

Ugh.

 

[Wardogg]

Rest easy bros.

 

[Wardogg]

BTW, for the record, the Marines don't call their 53s "Sea Stallions."

Super Stallions or Sh*tters.

 

[bustinminimums]

RIP Brothers.

Semper Fi

 

[PGT]

Those things have a higher MTOW than 135/145/CRJ700

 

[A Life Aloft]

Latest news from today:

HALEIWA, OAHU (HawaiiNewsNow) -

Three of the four life rafts from the two choppers that collided off Oahu's North Shore have been recovered, and a fourth was spotted with no one on board off Kahuku, the Coast Guard said Monday.

There have been no survivors found.

The news came on the fourth day of search-and-rescue operations for the 12 Marines who were on board the two helicopters when they crashed late Thursday.

More than 60 Marines are combing North Shore beaches for debris through the day, while multiple county, state and federal agencies continue to participate in the search effort by air and sea. Navy divers have also been dispatched, and are using sonar technology around the last known position of the two choppers off Haleiwa. So far, they haven't seen any debris.

There was no indication that any survivors were ever on the three life rafts that were recovered, the Coast Guard said.. There was also no one on board the fourth raft, spotted by a resident off Kahuku over the weekend.

The Coast Guard said Sunday that it remains hopeful survivors will be found, and in a statement Monday, Coast Guard officials said their goal is to ensure with "absolute certainty we've thoroughly canvassed every location we might find them."

The two Marine Corps choppers collided about two miles off Haleiwa during a routine late-night training mission, setting off a massive ocean search-and-rescue effort during one of the biggest swells of the winter season. Low visibility also hampered search efforts.

On Saturday, the Coast Guard said it had found debris from the two Marine Corps helicopters in waters off Oahu. High surf has scattered debris across a wide swath of waters off Oahu, from Kahuku to Waianae.

"The debris that's been located is consistent with the aircraft of this type," said Coast Guard Lt. Scott Carr. "I know a lot of people are focused on the debris, but we're really focused on hopefully finding survivors."

Meanwhile, the Marines on Saturday also released the names of the 12 service members who were on board the two helicopters. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines and their families as we continue search and rescue efforts," the Marine Corps said, in a statement.

Coast Guard Capt. Jim Jenkins said the Coast Guard is working in conjunction with the Marines to determine how long to continue searching. Family members will be notified first if the search-and-rescue mission is halted.

From the outset, big surf has complicated an already-tough search for survivors.

"This is probably one of the most difficult search missions I've seen," Carr told reporters Friday. He added, "Our men and women train for this. Our goal is to find survivors."

Both of the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters had six Marines aboard when they crashed about 10:40 p.m. Authorities said they did not get a distress call from either helicopter.

Witnesses said the collision produced a fireball that lit up the night sky.

"It was like daytime," said Chase Tantog, 21, who was fishing at Chun's Reef when he saw what he thought was a meteor falling from the sky.

"It was just a big fireball coming down," he said. "There was debris, too, on the side, like coming off. Once it hit the water, it just blacked out and then you hear the thunder roar after. It was really loud."

Debris field widespread

Rescuers have encountered debris believed to be from the helicopters across a widening swath of ocean, stretching from Waianae to Kahuku and eight miles offshore. They've asked people to call the Coast Guard at 257-8458 or 257-3023 if they find any debris.

Early on in the search, crews discovered a life raft, but no one was on board and there were no visible flames in the water.

Carr said rough seas are scattering and churning debris. Surf on Oahu’s North Shore remains at warning levels.

"The weather is making it very difficult," Carr said on Friday. "Debris is moving things all over the place. It's very difficult to find things right now."

Debris found on land will be taken to the incident command post at Haleiwa Alii Beach Park and will later be moved to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, said Capt. Timothy Irish, a public information officer with the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Debris found offshore will also be transported to Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Routine training mission

The Marines on board the two helicopters were conducting a routine night training mission that started from Marine Corps Base Hawaii and was expected to conclude there, Irish said.

They were flying in low-light conditions and using night vision goggles.

Irish said there are normally four people on such training missions, but these missions had two additional training instructors on board each.

Following witness reports of a crash Thursday night, the Coast Guard dispatched a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and a HC-130 aircraft, both of which arrived on scene shortly after midnight. Two Coast Guard Cutters – the 87-foot Ahi from Maui and the 110-foot Kiska from the Big Island – were also dispatched.

Irish said the Marines have reached out to all of the family members of those on board the helicopters, and are also offering counseling to the larger Marine community in the islands.

"There are a lot of Marine Corps families affected right now and they've got a lot of concerns for their loved ones," he said. "I cannot imagine the feelings those families are going through right now."

Search continues

With each day, the search area grows. On Friday, crews were focusing their efforts on the North Shore alone; they've now extended the search to the waters off Waianae.

“Anytime you are dealing with a debris field … that’s pretty normal that it will move,” Carr said. “As you go over time in any search and rescue, the area typically starts to get bigger."

The Honolulu Fire Department -- with help from federal firefighters – along with the U.S. Navy, Hawaii Army National Guard, state Department of Land and Natural Resources and Honolulu Police Department are also assisting in the search. Lifeguards also pitched in, searching within a mile of shore for debris.

A Kaneohe-based HSM-37 Navy attacker helicopter was dispatched along with two Navy destroyers -- the USS John Paul Jones and USS Gridley. Both were replaced by the USS Paul Hamilton on Monday morning.

Witnesses recount collision

Residents up and down the North Shore saw -- or heard -- the collision Thursday night.

Don Williams said the collision produced "two big booms."

"It shook the house," he said. "I couldn't figure out what it was."

Tantog, who was fishing at Chun's Reef, said the fireball in the night sky was so big "I thought the world was going to end."

One woman said she was at Haleiwa Harbor on Thursday night when she saw what she thought was a flare.

"I didn't see it shoot up, I saw when something was coming down."

Damn. 4 days of searching day and night.

Here are their photos:

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/slideshow?widgetid=176127

All fine men. So sad and so frustrating. Just keep thinking of their families.

 

[A Life Aloft]

Update today:

The search for the missing 12 Marines has been suspended. Navy divers have located wreckage of the two helicopters on the sea floor, in about 325 feet of water. They found a widespread debris field on the ocean floor with parts of the helicopters. No word yet on how the recovery of the wreckage from the sea floor will proceed and when. Various teams have also found debris from the two helicopters floating in the water and along the beaches.

The Coast Guard searched some 40,530 square nautical miles. The Marine Corps will continue to recover any debris and “other remains that may be discovered,” Brig. Gen. Russell Sanborn, Commanding General of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, said, "The hope is they’ll be able to give closure to families “that still want that final piece of the puzzle.”

A memorial service for the Marines is set for this Friday. I am so sad that they have not located/recovered these men as of yet.

RIP.

• Maj. Shawn M. Campbell, 41, College Station, Texas
• Capt. Brian T. Kennedy, 31, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Capt. Kevin T. Roche, 30, St. Louis, Missouri
• Capt. Steven R. Torbert, 29, Florence, Alabama
• Sgt. William J. Turner, 25, Florala, Alabama
• Sgt. Adam C. Schoeller, 25, Gardners, Pennsylvania
• Sgt. Dillon J. Semolina, 24, Chaska, Minnesota
• Cpl. Matthew R. Drown, 23, Spring, Texas
• Cpl. Christopher J. Orlando, 23, Hingham, Massachusetts
• Cpl. Thomas J. Jardas, 22, Fort Myers, Florida
• Sgt. Jeffrey A. Sempler, 22, Woodruff, South Carolina
• Lance Cpl. Ty L. Hart, 21, Aumsville, Oregon

From the family of Sgt. Semolina, who flew to Hawaii two days ago:

“Today our dreams were utterly shattered. Our son Sergeant Dillon Semolina’s last breath was taken in his bird (as he would call it) doing what he loved to do last Thursday night. He took great pride in the Marine Corp and his fellow Marines on his flight line were family to him. Divers have located the aircrafts and are currently looking to recover these precious souls and bring them back to their families.

Our Hero's need a place to rest and a proper goodbye.

There is a planned memorial service this Friday morning on base to honor all 12 of these incredible souls. Mike and I along with Dillon's complete extended family and friends thank you for your supporting words just when we think we can't go on, or a funny memory that takes the pain away for a brief second. This community has rallied behind us and has pushed us to be strong. Words aren't enough!

Please pray we can bring Dillon home soon.”

 

[Cessnaflyer]

That's a crazy debris field. Must be strong currents to spread it that far. I also didn't know it was that shallow that far off shore.

 

[Lawman]

That's a crazy debris field. Must be strong currents to spread it that far. I also didn't know it was that shallow that far off shore.

North Shore this time of year.

If this had happened in the summer when it's like a sheet of glass I imagine it would be totally different.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Cessnaflyer]

Yeah when I first went to Hawaii to fly I was surprised at the parallels to the mountain flying I was doing. Winters on the north shore can be nasty.

 

[BobDDuck]

40+ foot swell the morning after the accident. North Shore in the winter is no joke.

 

[A Life Aloft]

Memorial service held today.

Gov. David Ige ordered U.S. and Hawaii flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise Friday to sunset Tuesday.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines and their families as we all mourn this tragic loss of life," the Marine Corps said, in a statement. "The Marine Corps is focused on taking care of our Marines and their families."

 

[BarbieDreamPilot]

Thanks for posting @A Life Aloft

 

[A Life Aloft]

Thanks for posting @A Life Aloft

No problem. Our hearts are just so heavy...... I hope the families can in time, heal. Feel really awful for them. We are all proud of those who serve and the sacrifices that they and their families make. We watched much of the recorded live stream of the service late today and it was just heart breaking. Sadly, these services have played out in uncounted multitudes over the centuries.

A Few Good Men. On March 20, 1779 in Boston, Capt. William Jones, USMC, advertised for "a few good men" to enlist in the Corps for naval duty. The term seemed ideally suited for Marines, mainly because of the implication that "a few" good men would be enough. This term has survived for over 200 years and has been synonymous with U.S. Marines ever since.

First to Fight. The media in the United States began using this term to describe U.S. Marines during World War I. Marines have served in the vanguard of every American war since the founding of the Corps in 1775. They have carried out over 300 assaults on foreign shores, from the arctic to the tropics. Historically, U.S. Marines are indeed the first to fight.