Midair Collision Claims Nine

Seven U.S. Coast Guardsmen and two U.S. Marines died near San Clemente Island,which is near San Diego,California,when a Coast Guard C-130 search plane collided with a Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter.San Clemente is a training range for maritime forces,and the military air traffic can be heavy at times.The Coast Guard plane was searching for 50-year old David Jines of San Catalina Island,who went missing in a 12-foot motorized skiff,and the Marines were flying in a training formation.
The collision occurred at 1910 hours Pacific.A flotilla of Navy ships and Coast Guard Cutters,as well as helicopters,mounted a search and rescue mission for the nine servicemen.A debris field was located in the water 50 miles from San Diego.
The Coast Guard has been struggling to maintain or purchase enough ships and aircraft,so the loss of even one is very significant to the service,besides any loss of personnel.It is the smallest of the armed forces,but is tasked with perhaps the broadest range of missions,from homeland security to Iraq War deployments.