Friday, October 30, 2009 - As many as nine people were believed to be missing after a Coast Guard plane collided with a military helicopter off the Southern California coast Thursday, officials said.
Seven people were believed to be on board a C-130 plane and two others on the helicopter, Ian Gregor of the FAA told local news media.
Rescue crews have spotted debris in the water, but no survivors yet, he said. Three Coast Guard cutters and four Navy ships, along with several helicopters, are involved in the search.
"We are throwing everything we can at this right now. We are looking for survivors," U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Josh Nelson said.
A pilot reported seeing a fireball at 7:10 p.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the suspected crash site, about 17 miles east of San Clemente Island — 68 miles west of San Diego.
The pilots were not talking to FAA air traffic controllers at the time of the collision.
Marine Corps spokesman Cpl Michael Stevens confirmed an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter had gone down. He said it belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Camp Pendleton.
Meanwhile, stormy weather forced the Coast Guard to suspend its search for two missing Navy pilots and their plane along the central Texas coast.
Petty Officer 1st Class Nayo Gallegos said crews stopped their search around 8 p.m. Thursday because of limited visibility. The search was expected to resume Friday morning.
Air Station Corpus Christi lost contact with the Navy T-34 training plane Wednesday afternoon. The pilots' names haven't been released.
The single-engine plane's last known location was near San Jose Island, east of Rockport and 2 miles off shore in the Gulf of Mexico.
A Coast Guard spokesman told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that crews have made nearly 20 flights and covered more than 3,900 square miles.
Seven people were believed to be on board a C-130 plane and two others on the helicopter, Ian Gregor of the FAA told local news media.
Rescue crews have spotted debris in the water, but no survivors yet, he said. Three Coast Guard cutters and four Navy ships, along with several helicopters, are involved in the search.
"We are throwing everything we can at this right now. We are looking for survivors," U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Josh Nelson said.
A pilot reported seeing a fireball at 7:10 p.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the suspected crash site, about 17 miles east of San Clemente Island — 68 miles west of San Diego.
The pilots were not talking to FAA air traffic controllers at the time of the collision.
Marine Corps spokesman Cpl Michael Stevens confirmed an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter had gone down. He said it belonged to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing stationed at Camp Pendleton.
Meanwhile, stormy weather forced the Coast Guard to suspend its search for two missing Navy pilots and their plane along the central Texas coast.
Petty Officer 1st Class Nayo Gallegos said crews stopped their search around 8 p.m. Thursday because of limited visibility. The search was expected to resume Friday morning.
Air Station Corpus Christi lost contact with the Navy T-34 training plane Wednesday afternoon. The pilots' names haven't been released.
The single-engine plane's last known location was near San Jose Island, east of Rockport and 2 miles off shore in the Gulf of Mexico.
A Coast Guard spokesman told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times that crews have made nearly 20 flights and covered more than 3,900 square miles.
