More heavy fog, rain and rough surf complicated today's efforts to collect the remains of seven US Marines and four soldiers whose Black Hawk helicopter crashed offshore while they trained in Florida.
The military has provided few details about the crash, which happened Tuesday night in fog so thick that another helicopter turned back. The names of the victims have not been released.
The same fog and crashing Gulf waves surrounded a pier where a large gathering held vigil Wednesday night, creating a somber backdrop to the songs, tears and prayers of people with strong ties to the military and the sprawling Eglin Air Force Base.
Dozens of airmen were walking the shores of Santa Rosa Sound on Thursday, and the Coast Guard searched for debris in the water, said Mike Spaits, a base spokesman. Pieces of clothing and bits of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter have washed ashore, and homeowners have contacted the military to pick it up, he said.
Military officials haven't described the cause of the crash, but the weather was so bad, the other helicopter returned to land, said Maj. Gen. Glenn H. Curtis, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard.
Jack Cullen, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Mobile, Alabama, said Thursday's dense sea fog could persist through Friday, which is common when warm southern air meets cold water this time of year.
The helicopter that crashed had a veteran crew from Louisiana that served multiple tours in Iraq and helped humanitarian missions after Gulf Coast hurricanes and the BP oil spill.
