12 Feared Dead in Marine CH-53 Collision in Hawaii

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Marine CH-53 Helicopters. Marine Corps photo
Marine CH-53 Helicopters. Marine Corps photo

Updated at 8:47 a.m. Eastern

The U.S. Coast Guard searched for two Marine helicopters early Friday after officials said the aircraft collided near the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The Latest: No Survivors Yet Found in CH-53 Collision

Coast Guard District 14 told CBS News that its personnel arrived on scene to investigate a debris field that includes an empty life raft and fire on the water.

The CH-53 transport helicopters were from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Base Hawaii. Each carried six people, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooers told The Associated Press.

She said the debris field was 2 1/2 miles off the coast, near the town of Haleiwa. It's unclear what caused the crash.

A Navy helicopter crew and local firefighters were assisting in the search, ABC News reports.

-- Fox News' Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Original story

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for two Marine helicopters early Friday after reports that they collided near the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

Coast Guard District 14 told CBS News that its personnel arrived on scene to investigate a debris field that includes an empty life raft and fire on the water.

The aircraft were from a Marine Corps base in Kaneohe Bay, and were carrying 6 people each.

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