Second U.S. Marine found, five missing, after midair collision off Japan coast

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Second U.S. Marine found, five missing, after midair collision off Japan coast

By Simon Denyer December 6 at 5:00 AM

TOKYO — Two U.S. Marines were rescued from the ocean Thursday but five remain missing after a fighter jet and a refueling plane collided in midair off the coast of Japan, Japanese and American officials said.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said its maritime forces had found two Marines, both of whom have been transferred to the U.S. military to receive medical care. It has dispatched planes and ships to continue the search and rescue effort.

The Marine Corps initially said a “mishap” had taken place at 2 a.m. local time during an exercise about 200 miles off the Japanese coast, involving a F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and a KC-130 Hercules, adding that the circumstances were “under investigation.” Officials later confirmed the collision occurred during refueling.

The first Marine was found soon after the incident and taken back to his base at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in southern Japan, where he was receiving medical care and is in a stable condition, the Marines said.

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/second-us-marine-found-five-missing-after-midair-collision-off-japan-coast/2018/12/06/a13113ea-f937-11e8-863a-8972120646e0_story.html

[flotsam]

1. F18 Aircrew

I'm thinking the whole tanker crew are gone.