Five U.S. Marines have been confirmed dead after an MV-22B Osprey belonging to the 3rd Marine Air Wing crashed in the California desert.
The MV-22B Osprey crashed in Imperial County near Highway 78 and the town of Glamis, which is 30 miles north of the Mexican border, and 150 miles east of San Diego.
On Thursday, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing confirmed the deaths in a statement, writing: ‘We mourn the loss of our Marines in this tragic mishap. Our hearts go out to their families and friends as they cope with this tragedy.’
The military has not released the names of the soldier, pending family notification.
Family and friends confirmed Nathan Carlson’s death. The 21-year-old’s girlfriend Emily Baxter posted a tribute to the Marine on Facebook, writing: ‘My heart is absolutely shattered…I don’t have words to explain what I feel or how badly this is tearing me apart already…he had the biggest heart and was always willing to help somebody if they needed.
Nathan Carlson, 21, of Machesney Park, Illinois, was confirmed death by family and friends on Thursday
The Marine was one of the five who were killed in the Osprey crash in the California desert on Wednesday
Carlson (far right) joined the Marines straight out of high school in 2019 and was a crew chief
Carlson appears to standing in front of an Osprey aircraft in a picture
‘He left for work yesterday and woke me up and hugged me so tight, he told me he loved me and that was the last time I’d seen my person.
‘Rest in peace my sweet angel. I love you always and forever. I pinky promise,’ she wrote in an emotional post.
Childhood friend Gage McDonald also posted a tribute to the soldier on his Facebook.
He wrote: ‘Words can’t explain the way I am feeling. We were practically raised together. I am so sorry this happened to you. I’m still waiting to get a call from you saying you were just helping and couldn’t get to your phone. I love and miss you, Nathan Carlson.’
The five marines who were involved the MV-22B Osprey crash on Wednesday were confirmed dead
The 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing confirmed the dead, writing: ‘We mourn the loss of our Marines in this tragic mishap. Our hearts go out to their families and friends as they cope with this tragedy.’ The military has not released the names of the soldier, pending family notification
A helicopter is seen on Wednesday taking off near Glamis, to aid the rescue effort
The aircraft crashed on military land in a desert area 30 miles from the border with Mexico
The military also announced equipment recovery has begun at the site and the investigation is ongoing.
The crash was confirmed by Naval Air Facility in El Centro on Wednesday, who investigated the crash.
The crash happened about 12.25pm local time, said 1st Lt. Duane Kampa, a 3rd MAW spokesman.
Footage from News 11 Yuma showed military personnel and first responders gathering in the desert, with a helicopter flying off to the crash site. Smoke could be faintly seen on the horizon.
His girlfriend Emily (pictured together) confirmed his death in a touching Facebook post
She wrote: ‘My heart is absolutely shattered…I don’t have words to explain what I feel or how badly this is tearing me apart already…he had the biggest heart and was always willing to help somebody if they needed’
She said ‘he left for work yesterday and woke me up and hugged me so tight, he told me he loved me and that was the last time I’d seen my person’
There were rumors the plane had been carrying nuclear material when it crashed, but that has since been debunked.
‘Contrary to initial reports, there was no nuclear material on board the aircraft.’
The MV-22B Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft, built by Boeing, which can carry 24 Marine combat troops, according to Military.com.
Boeing says it is ‘a joint service multirole combat aircraft’ which has both the vertical performance of a helicopter and the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.
‘With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter,’ Boeing explain.
‘Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight.
First responders and military personnel are seen arriving at the site of Wednesday’s crash
A Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey is pictured in 2012. An aircraft like this crashed on Wednesday
‘This combination results in global reach capabilities that allow the V-22 to fill an operational niche unlike any other aircraft.’
It have been in use since 2007.
The aircraft were first tested in 1989, but the program initially struggled, and there were several crashes during testing that resulted in 30 deaths.
Adjustments were made by the Navy and Marine Corps, and it was first deployed in Iraq.
Glamis is famed for the Algodones Dunes, 30 miles north of the US-Mexico border. This is where the crash occurred
Naval Air Facility El Centro confirmed the crash. The facility is around 30 miles from the crash site