Salvage Crew at Florida Site of Deadly Helicopter Crash

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A salvage barge moved off the Florida coast to lift the wreckage of a shattered Black Hawk helicopter from the waters, days after seven Marines and four soldiers were killed when the aircraft crashed in fog during nighttime training.

Air Force spokeswoman Sara Vidoni saysd the operation involved plucking debris from about 25 feet of water. That operation came as a military leader at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, disclosed that those aboard the downed aircraft had tried to abort their mission when they decided it was too risky.

Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman — commander of Marine Corps special operations forces — said the Marines were flying offshore before the crash early Tuesday to practice rappelling down ropes into the water and then making for land.

(Story by: Tamara Lush, Emery Dalesio, The Associated Press)