Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Military Helicopter Crashes Amid Dense Florida Fog; 11 Missing

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
March 11,2015; 10:05PM,EDT
 
 
Seven marines and four crew members are missing after a helicopter accident during a routine training exercise near the Eglin Military Base in the Florida Panhandle.
At the time of the crash, heavy fog engulfed the region. Officials report the accident occurred near the Navarre Bridge in Navarre, Florida, roughly 20 miles from the base on Tuesday night.
"At 8:30 p.m. CST when the crash was said to occur, fog was reducing the visibility to 1/4 to 1 mile in the area," AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Mussoline said.
Two military helicopters participate in a demonstration event at Eglin Military Base in Florida. One helicopter and 11 passengers are missing after a March 10 accident. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Samuel King Jr.)
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines, soldiers and family members of those involved in this mishap. We are working closely with all parties involved to locate our Marines and the Army aircrew as soon as possible," Maj. Gen. Joseph Osterman, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command said Wednesday morning.
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Debris was recovered by search and rescue teams at 2:00 a.m. Fog continues to hamper recovery efforts with visibility at less than 1/4 of a mile in the region.
"While the fog will clear up as the day goes on, showers and thunderstorms may continue to hamper recovery throughout the day," Mussoline said.
The accident is still under investigation.

Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Katy Galimberti at kathryn.galimberti@accuweather.com, follow her on Twitter @AccuKaty. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook and Google+.

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