Four Marines presumed dead in El Centro helicopter crash
Four U.S. Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar were killed in a helicopter crash during a training mission this afternoon in the El Centro area in Imperial County. The aircraft had departed from the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms “to conduct squadron training consisting of aircraft landings in unimproved zones.,” according to a Marine Corps news release. 
The names of the dead were withheld pending notification of their families. Marine officials also are withholding the title of the crew’s squadron and the base from which it flew.
The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing went down near El Centro around 2:35 p.m. Tuesday during what officials called a routine training mission.
El Centro is about 100 miles east of San Diego.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation.
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