• Five US Marines died in a helicopter crash outside San Diego during a winter storm.
• The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter crashed in Pine Valley, a hilly area east of San Diego.
• President Joe Biden expressed condolences to the families of the Marines.

The U.S. Marines Corps confirmed that five US Marines died after their helicopter crashed in a remote area outside of San Diego during a fierce winter storm while on a training flight.

The Marine Corps stated on Thursday that their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter went down in Pine Valley, a hilly remote area east of the city, on Tuesday night as it was en route to the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California.

During a search and rescue effort conducted by the Marines and local authorities, they found the remains of the crew members.

“It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines,” Major General Michael Borgschulte said in the statement.

In a statement, President Joe Biden offered his condolences to the families of the five Marines, expressing that he and First Lady Jill Biden were “heartbroken at the loss.”

The Corps stated that it would wait until after notifying the families of the crew members before releasing their names.

On Tuesday night, the helicopter departed from the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, approximately 40 miles (60 km) northwest of Las Vegas, and encountered rainy and snowy weather as it headed west. It was reported overdue about eight hours later.

The cause of the crash was unclear, and the Marines said an investigation was underway.

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