The tragic mid-air collision between a C-130 Coast Guard airplane and a Marine helicopter south of Catalina Island late Thursday has rocked the tight-knit Coast Guard community - including the dozens of Guardsmen stationed on Terminal Island and at LAX.
The C-130 had been dispatched from Northern California to search for a missing boater attempting to row a 12-foot skiff between Los Angeles and Catalina Island. One of four Marine helicopters conducting training exercises off Camp Pendleton's coastline hit the C-130 sometime around 7 p.m. Thursday.
A search continues for the seven missing Coast Guardsmen and the two Marines in the helicopter.
Just days ago, the Coast Guard had proudly displayed one of their C-130s during an air show at Los Alamitos Naval Base - an event that drew hundreds of people for an up-close look at the frequently used search-and-rescue planes.
It doesn't appear any of the missing were based out of Terminal Island, where the force has a long-established base, but it's unclear if they had served there in the past. Coast Guard members frequently move locations.
The Coast Guard Los Angeles-Long Beach sector issued a statement and update on the search on their blog.
Paul Eakins reports on Long Beach City Hall, and local and regional
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Kris Hanson reports on the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles,
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