LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A helicopter that went missing after it took off from an air base in the Las Vegas area has been found in California — but its crew of five U.S. Marines has not been found.
As of 9:08 a.m. Wednesday, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing said the missing CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was found in Pine Valley, Calif.
Dispatchers had previously lost the signal of the craft seven hours prior, around 2:00 a.m.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing for the five Marines who were on board the helicopter when it took off from Nevada's Creech Air Force Base en route to an air base near San Diego.
The five missing marines are assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16 and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. They had not been publicly identified as of this report.
Search efforts are underway in coordination with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the Civil Air Patrol.
"The most up-to-date information will be released as it becomes available," a U.S. Marine Corps spokesperson stated.
Conditions were described as "white-out" and terrain as "rugged" by search and rescue officials.
In addition, weather reports indicate temperatures were around the freezing point and wind gusts were over 25 miles per hour. Over the past few days, the region has been slammed by an atmospheric river that brought heavy rain, snow and wind.
