Seven Marines and four soldiers were missing Wednesday after a helicopter crashed over the water on the Florida Panhandle during a routine night training exercise, and officials said heavy fog was hampering search efforts.
The helicopter — a UH-60 Black Hawk from the Army National Guard — was reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, and search-and-rescue crews found debris around 2 a.m., said Andy Bourland, spokesman for Eglin Air Force Base, outside Pensacola.
"At this time all are missing," Bourland said.
Photos of the wreckage, however, have begun turning up in local media.
#BREAKING: Images of wreckage coming in. Latest info here: http://t.co/t7arCxzg9e pic.twitter.com/0aD8wi8RhN— WEAR ABC 3 (@weartv) March 11, 2015
In a statement, the Marines referred to the incident as a "training mishap" and said search and rescue efforts were underway. NBC News reported that human remains had been found, however, and that all 11 U.S. military members were presumed dead.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines, soldiers and family members of those involved in this mishap. We are working closely with all parties involved to locate our Marines and the Army aircrew as soon as possible," said Major Gen. Joseph Osterman, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, in a statement.
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Speaking to Congress Wednesday morning, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter confirmed that an accident had occurred and said, "Our thoughts & prayers are with them and their families as the search and rescue operation continues."
Dense fog created low visibility early Wednesday and the area was under a fog advisory, but it was unclear what conditions were like at the time of the crash.
Local law enforcement agencies vehicles were gathering Wednesday at the crash scene, near a remote swath of beach between Pensacola and Destin. The beach is owned by the military and is used for test missions.
UPDATE: Search continues for Black Hawk helicopter wreckage near Eglin Air Force Base in FL: http://t.co/iMd3HVPJM1 pic.twitter.com/UKWyb9coNm— WLOX (@WLOX) March 11, 2015
Base officials said the Marines are part of a Camp Lejeune, North Carolina-based special operations group. The soldiers were from a Hammond, Louisiana-based National Guard unit. Names of those involved were not immediately released, pending notification of next of kin, Bourland said.
Bourland said the Army helicopter took off from a nearby airport in Destin and joined other aircraft in the training exercise.
The training area includes 20 miles of pristine beachfront that has been under the control of the military since before World War II. Military police keep a close watch on the area and have been known to run off private vendors who rent jet skis or paddle boards without permission.
Test range manager Glenn Barndollar told The Associated Press in August that the beach provides an ideal training area for special operations units from all branches of the military to practice over the water, on the beach and in the bay.
The military sometimes drops trainees over the water using boats or helicopters and the trainees must make their way onshore.