Coast Guard Plane and Marine Chopper Collide Off California

Los Angeles, CAThe search is on for survivors after a Coast Guard plane and a Marine helicopter collided in mid-air over the Pacific Ocean near Southern California late yesterday.

According to CNN this morning there are nine people missing.

A pilot is reported to have seen a fireball in the vicinity of the crash site at about 7:10pm. Officials with the Federal Aviation Administration said that the Coast Guard C-130 plane was carrying seven people, whereas the AH-1 Cobra helicopter flying the Marine Corps colors had two people on board.

So far there are no reports of survivors and no bodies have been found, although a debris field has been located in the water about 25 miles east of San Clemente Island.

Weather conditions are reported to be excellent for the large rescue team assembled by the Navy and the Coast Guard. US Coast Guard Lt. Josh Nelson told CNN, "the winds are calm, the seas are calm and we are using night-vision goggles," he said. "The search conditions are ideal.

"We are throwing everything we can at this right now. We are looking for survivors," Nelson said. "They have seen debris is in the water."

A spokesman for the Miramar Marine Corps Air Station told the Associated Press (AP) overnight that the AH-1W Super Cobra helicopter was on a training mission when the collision occurred. The helicopter and its crew were part of Marine Aircraft Group 39 based at Camp Pendleton and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing that is headquartered at Miramar.

The plane and its crew meanwhile hailed from Coast Guard Air Station Sacramento. According to an AP report carried this morning in the New York Times, the Coast Guard had planned to search throughout the night with three cutters and the diversion of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter to the area, to aid in search efforts.

The Navy sent four vessels together with multiple helicopters.

San Clemente Island is the southernmost of the eight Channel Islands situation 68 nautical miles west of San Diego. The Navy has owned and trained at San Clemente Island since 1934.