Five Marines killed in California aircraft crash identified

The 5 Marines who have been tragically killed in a navy plane crash in California on Wednesday have been recognized.

The servicemen have been aboard an MV-22B Osprey that went down throughout a coaching mission within the Southern California desert in Glamis — roughly 150 miles west of San Diego.

On Friday, the third Marine Plane Wing identified the dead Marines as Corporal Nathan Carlson, 21, of Winnebago, Illinois; Captain Nicholas Losapio, 31, of Rockingham, New Hampshire; Cpl. Seth Rasmuson, 21, of Johnson, Wyoming; Capt. John Sax, of Placer, California; and Lance Cpl. Evan Strickland, 19, of Valencia, New Mexico.

All 5 males have been assigned to the Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 364 and primarily based out of Camp Pendleton, in San Diego.

“It’s with heavy hearts that we mourn the lack of 5 Marines from the Purple Fox household,” Lt. Col. John Miller, commanding officer of the squadron, mentioned in an announcement.

“That is a particularly tough time for VMM-364 and it’s onerous to precise the affect that this loss has had on our squadron and its households,” mentioned Miller.

An investigation is underway to find out what brought on the plane to go down, officers mentioned.

“The deceased might be reunited with their households by dignified switch within the coming days,” the third Marine Plane Wing said in a statement.

The deadly navy plane crash was the second to happen in California within the final week after Navy pilot Lt. Richard Bullock died throughout a coaching mission in Trona, California on Friday.