The 10 missing crewmembers from two US Marine Corps helicopters that crashed off the Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti in unknown circumstances have been recovered, the US military said on Saturday.
The Djibouti-based Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa said the 10, along with two crewmembers rescued shortly after the choppers went down Friday, were all "accounted for" but did not say if any were dead or injured.
"As of 1315 GMT, all 12 crewmembers have been accounted for from the crash of two CH-53E helicopters off the coast of Djibouti," it said in a statement.
"Next-of-kin notifications are still ongoing; therefore, no further information regarding the status or condition of the crewmembers will be released at this time," it said.
A spokeswoman at the task force headquarters said next-of-kin notifications are made for deaths, injuries and survivals and that the military would not discuss the status until after they were complete and 24 hours had passed.
The statement said the rescue operation, which involved at least four US, French, Italian warships and three helicopters as well as Djiboutian vessels, had been stopped but that recovery of equipment was still underway.
{{/usCountry}}The statement said the rescue operation, which involved at least four US, French, Italian warships and three helicopters as well as Djiboutian vessels, had been stopped but that recovery of equipment was still underway.
{{/usCountry}}"Search and rescue efforts at the crash site have been curtailed, but recovery of pertinent information, equipment and wreckage.