Yesterday evening in Afghanistan (10:45AM Eastern Time), a KC-130 Hercules tanker clobbered a mountain in Pakistan, while on approach. Seven Marines were aboard; none is thought to have survived.

The flight, which had originated at Jacobabad, Pakistan, had been on refueling duty. SecDef Rumsfeld said, "It just breaks your heart. It is a tough, dangerous business over there and they are doing difficult things and they are doing them darned well."

The $37 million accident machine, which can carry 45,000 pounds of fuel for its tanker customers, was one of fourteen active KC-130/Rs. How much fuel remained on board has not been established or released.

Central Command said, "MACDILL AFB, FL- At approximately 10:15 a.m. EST today, a U.S. KC-130/R crashed into a mountain near Shamsi, Pakistan. Seven U.S. Marines were aboard the aircraft. The flight originated from Jacobabad, Pakistan and was on a multi-stop mission. The aircraft was making its landing approach at the time of the crash. Its final destination was the Forward Operating Base in Shamsi.

"The names of the service members are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The incident is under investigation."

The Pentagon later released this notice: 

A Marine Corps KC-130/R crashed into a mountain near Shamsi, Pakistan, at 6:45 p.m. today Pakistan time, U.S. Central Command officials said.

Seven Marines were aboard the aircraft. CENTCOM officials had no immediate status report on the Marines. 

The flight originated in Jacobabad, Pakistan, and was on a multistop mission. Officials did not know whether the aircraft had gone into Afghanistan. CENTCOM officials said it was "unlikely" the crash was the result of any enemy action, but said the cause of the crash is already under investigation. 

The destination of the flight was the Forward Operating Base at Shamsi in southwestern Pakistan. 

KC-130s are multirole, multimission tactical tanker-transports flown by the Marines. They can refuel both tactical aircraft and helicopters in flight as well as provide rapid ground refueling when required. They can drop paratroopers and cargo and also operate from short, rough-landing airstrips.

FMI: http://www.centcom.mil/default.asp, http://www.af.mil/news/factsheets/C_130_Hercules.html, www.hqmc.usmc.mil