A US Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet collided with a KC-130 Hercules tanker aircraft some 200 miles off the coast of Japan on December 6, the United States Marine Corps has confirmed.
Two of overall seven service members who were aboard the two aircraft as they crashed have been found and the search for the remaining five continues. Both rescued Marines have been transported to local hospitals for evaluation.
The aircraft involved in the mishap had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regularly scheduled training when the mishap occurred.
US Marine Corps said the circumstances of the mishap were under investigation.
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s search and rescue aircraft immediately responded to aid in recovery and the search and rescue operation.