Each Reportedly Had Six Personnel On Board, All Missing

Two U.S. Marine Corps helicopters have been involved in an accident off Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oahu.

According to a Coast Guard news release, at 11:38 p.m. Thursday, watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received notification from the U.S. Marine Corps of two possible downed military helicopters each reportedly with six personnel aboard.

The Marine Corps said in a news release that the CH-53 aircraft were from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

Responders have been searching for survivors in a debris field located about two and half miles north of Haleiwa.
 
Watchstanders at the Sector transferred the case to the Coast Guard District 14 Command Center, also in Honolulu. Watchstanders at the District directed the launch of Coast Guard aircrews from Air Station Barbers Point and requested assistance from other local agencies.

Just after midnight the Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter arrived on scene and located a debris field.

The Coast Guard has also directed the Coast Guard Cutters Ahi and Kiska to get underway to the scene. Ahi is an 87-foot patrol boat currently in Maui. Kiska is a 110-foot patrol boat in Hilo.

(Image from Marine Corps Twitter post)

FMI: www.coastguard.mil, www.marines.mil