2013年3月14日，美国第五舰队责任区空中加油训练期间，一架KC-130大力神与海军陆战队中型直升机中队364（Rein.），第15海军陆战队远征部队准备为CH-53E超级种马加油。[照片/机构]东京-搜救行动周二因五名失踪的美国海军陆战队士兵被取消，他们上个星期在日本西海岸的一架喷气式飞机和一架油轮飞机上遭遇致命的空中相撞。据当地国防部称，由于没有发现撞击地点的明显残余物，搜索被取消，尽管美国军队、日本自卫队、日本海岸警卫队以及澳大利亚空军在太平洋大约90000平方公里的区域进行搜索。美国官员说，在事发当天，F/A-18战斗机上的两名海军陆战队士兵获救，但28岁的贾马尔·雷斯拉德上尉在抵达医疗设施时被宣布死亡。据信，五名下落不明的海军陆战队员已登上KC-130加油机。日本外务省说，这两架飞机位于日本西部的海军陆战队航空站Iwakuni，当时正在进行例行训练，碰撞发生在高知县木本角以南100公里处。美军日本司令周二正式承认死者，并感谢其盟国在寻找失踪船员方面的迅速和不懈努力。
A KC-130 Hercules with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (Rein.), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepares to refuel a CH-53E Super Stallion during air refueling training in the US 5th Fleet area of responsibility, March 14, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - Search and rescue operations were called off Tuesday for five missing US Marines who were aboard a jet and a tanker plane when they fatally collided midair last week off Japan's western coast.

According to the Defense Ministry here, the search was called off as there were no significant remnants of the crash site detectable, despite US forces, Japan's Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Coast Guard as well as the Australian air force searching an area covering round 90,000 square km of area in the Pacific Ocean.

Two Marines on the F/A-18 fighter jet were rescued on the day of the incident, but Capt. Jahmar Resilard, 28, was pronounced dead on his arrival at medical facilities, US officials said.

The five Marines unaccounted for are believed to have been on board a KC-130 tanker plane.

The ministry said the planes, based at the Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in western Japan, were conducting a routine training operation when the collision occurred around 100 km south of Cape Muroto in Kochi Prefecture.

US Forces Japan commander on Tuesday officially recognized the deceased and thanked its allies for their swift and tireless efforts in searching for the missing crew members.

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