On Wednesday afternoon, a military aircraft went down in California’s Imperial County.
The aircraft, which was an MV-22B Osprey from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing with five Marines on board, did not contain nuclear materials, according to a statement by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. It went down near Glamis around 12:25 p.m., according to the Washington Examiner.
“Five Marines were on board the plane, and we are awaiting news on the condition of all crew members,” the official statement added. “There was no nuclear material aboard the aircraft, as stated in a subsequent social media report.”
At least four of the passengers are presumed to be dead, according to a federal source who spoke with the Los Angeles Times.
The aircraft is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California.
“We ask for everyone’s patience as we work with our first responders and the unit to determine what occurred today,” the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing added.
According to KYMA, the site of the collision is on State Route 78 and Coachella Canal Road. A sign for a military training center can be seen in the background, with smoke rising in the distance behind it.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed to the Washington Examiner that they were responding to a collision and had received a report of one. The department did not provide further details.
The crash’s cause is being investigated. NAVAIR explains that the Osprey “transports troops, equipment, and supplies from land bases and ships for combat assault and assault support.”
The site of the collision was approximately 60 miles from the Arizona-Mexico border, in Yuma.
On Friday, a fighter jet pilot was killed when his F/A-18E Super Hornet crashed near Trona. The accident’s cause has yet to be determined.
