C-130 News
C-130 Hercules News
Five Marines missing, two rescued after F-18 and KC-130J collide off Japanese coast
December 5, 2018 (by
Seth Robson & Hana Kusumto) -
Two of seven Marines have been rescued after a "mishap" involving a pair of Marine Corps aircraft early Thursday off the coast of Japan.
The incident, which involved an F/A-18 Hornet and a KC-130 Hercules aerial tanker (Believed to be #167981) that took off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, happened about 02:00hrs during "regularly scheduled training," a Marine Corps statement said.
The Hornet and Hercules collided midair and crashed into the Pacific Ocean south of Muroto Cape on Shikoku Island, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. Five Marines were aboard the Hercules and two were on the Hornet.
The first rescued crew member — who reportedly came from the Hornet — was picked up by a Japan Self-Defense Force helicopter at 5:43 a.m., the ministry said.
The Marine — who is in stable condition, according to The Associated Press — was being evaluated at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, said a III Marine Expeditionary Force statement issued just before 9 a.m.
At 12:13 p.m., the Japan Martime Self-Defense Force ship JS Setoyuki found and rescued a second Marine, a spokesman with the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff told Stars and Stripes. The condition of that person and which aircraft he or she belonged to was unknown as of Thursday afternoon.
The second Marine was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, according to a message posted to the III MEF's official Facebook page.
"The search and rescue operations continue for the remaining five U.S. Marines who were aboard [both aircraft] involved in the mishap," the message said.
"All available resources are being brought to bear," U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Jerry Martinez said, in a quote tweeted by USFJ Thursday afternoon.
"Thank you #JSDF for your rapid response during this time of need. Our thoughts & prayers are with everyone involved."
Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters Thursday morning that Japan was putting its "best effort into the search and rescue." Aircraft from both the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force immediately responded to the emergency.
The Marines refuel aircraft differently than the Air Force, said Carl Baker, executive director of the Pacific Forum think tank in Hawaii.
Instead of a boom extended from the fuselage, the KC-130 has hoses hanging from its wing tanks. When pilots want to refuel, they steer a boom attached to the front of their aircraft into a drogue receptacle that looks like a basket on the end of the KC-130's refueling hose, he said.
"They don't get as close [as refueling Air Force planes] because the thing runs out quite a way from the back of the airplane," he said.
However, refueling is a dangerous operation, Baker said.
Videos of refueling mishaps show drogue baskets slamming into planes and broken hoses whipping around like angry snakes spraying aircraft with fuel.
Baker said refuelers have crashed in the past but that he isn't aware of an aircraft going down during refueling.
The Hornet and Hercules collided midair and crashed into the Pacific Ocean south of Muroto Cape on Shikoku Island, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. Five Marines were aboard the Hercules and two were on the Hornet.
The first rescued crew member — who reportedly came from the Hornet — was picked up by a Japan Self-Defense Force helicopter at 5:43 a.m., the ministry said.
The Marine — who is in stable condition, according to The Associated Press — was being evaluated at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, said a III Marine Expeditionary Force statement issued just before 9 a.m.
At 12:13 p.m., the Japan Martime Self-Defense Force ship JS Setoyuki found and rescued a second Marine, a spokesman with the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff told Stars and Stripes. The condition of that person and which aircraft he or she belonged to was unknown as of Thursday afternoon.
The second Marine was taken to a local hospital for evaluation, according to a message posted to the III MEF's official Facebook page.
"The search and rescue operations continue for the remaining five U.S. Marines who were aboard [both aircraft] involved in the mishap," the message said.
"All available resources are being brought to bear," U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Jerry Martinez said, in a quote tweeted by USFJ Thursday afternoon.
"Thank you #JSDF for your rapid response during this time of need. Our thoughts & prayers are with everyone involved."
Japanese Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya told reporters Thursday morning that Japan was putting its "best effort into the search and rescue." Aircraft from both the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force immediately responded to the emergency.
The Marines refuel aircraft differently than the Air Force, said Carl Baker, executive director of the Pacific Forum think tank in Hawaii.
Instead of a boom extended from the fuselage, the KC-130 has hoses hanging from its wing tanks. When pilots want to refuel, they steer a boom attached to the front of their aircraft into a drogue receptacle that looks like a basket on the end of the KC-130's refueling hose, he said.
"They don't get as close [as refueling Air Force planes] because the thing runs out quite a way from the back of the airplane," he said.
However, refueling is a dangerous operation, Baker said.
Videos of refueling mishaps show drogue baskets slamming into planes and broken hoses whipping around like angry snakes spraying aircraft with fuel.
Baker said refuelers have crashed in the past but that he isn't aware of an aircraft going down during refueling.
Published on December 5th, 2018 in the Stars and Stripes.
Used with permission from Stars and Stripes, a DoD publication.
© 2018 Stars and Stripes.