Search for missing US marines in sea off Japan's coast called off

The search for five US Marines missing in the sea off Japan, following the collision of two Marine Corps aircraft has been called and the mssing crew member declared deceased on Tuesday.

The accident occurred on December 6 during an air-to-air refueling exercise, invovling a KC-130 Hercules refueling plane and an F/A-18 Hornet jet fighter, off the Japanese coast. U.S. officials believes it may have been a mid-air collision.

"We know this difficult decision was made after all resources were exhausted in the vigorous search for our Marines," Lieutenant Colonel Mitchell Maury, commander of the U.S. Marine Corps' (USMC) Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron, said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are heavy and our prayers are with all family and friends of all five aircrew."

The missing five were crew members of the KC-130 Hercules refueling plane.

Two marine pilots flying the F/A-18 Hornet jet fighter were found by search and rescue teams -- one died and the other injured.

Joint search and rescue efforts by U.S. and Japanese ships and aircraft could not locate the crew of the Hercules.




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