Search for 12 Marines in chopper crash continues

Associated Press

HONOLULU

The ongoing search for 12 Marines who are missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii entered a third day with no plans Sunday to call off or suspend the massive effort, the Coast Guard said.

While high surf complicated the mission for rescuers on the water, a green laser off Haleiwa Beach Park on Saturday night struck a Coast Guard plane, forcing crew members to alter search patterns. The crew of the HC-130 plane wasn’t exposed and didn’t have to land, but they changed their search pattern to avoid being hit again.

Rescuers from various agencies have been searching round-the-clock since the Coast Guard was notified late Thursday of the crash by a civilian who saw the aircraft flying and then disappear and a fireball.

The Coast Guard initially reported that the choppers had collided, but Marine Capt. Timothy Irish said Friday that he did not know if the accident was a collision.