Search called off for 5 Marines aboard lost KC-130

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The search for a Marine Corps KC-130 and its five missing crew members has been called off after days of intense rescue operations over a wide swath of deep waters off the coast of Japan failed to locate the aircraft.

The Marine Corps has pronounced the five crew members deceased.

“I have made the determination to end the search and rescue operations for the crew of our KC-130J aircraft which was involved in a mishap off the southern coast of Japan and to declare that these Marine warriors are deceased," Lt. Gen. Eric M. Smith, III Marine Expeditionary Force commander, said in an announcement Tuesday.

“Every possible effort was made to recover our crew and I hope the families of these selfless Americans will find comfort in the incredible efforts made by U.S., Japanese, and Australian forces during the search," Smith said.

The KC-130′s flight data and cockpit voice recorders have still not been located, “making it premature to speculate about wreckage recovery,” Smith added.
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