A Marine died during a “routine military operation” at Camp Pendleton, California, on Tuesday evening, marking the Marine Corps' second death in less than a week, according to a press release from the service.
The service member, who belonged to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303, or HMLAT 303, was not named in the statement. A Camp Lejeune Marine died last week during a parachuting mishap in North Carolina.
“The incident is under investigation,” according to a statement released Wednesday. “The identity of the deceased Marine will not be released until at least 24 hours after next-of-kin notification is complete.”
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The Marine died at approximately 5 p.m. local time Tuesday, according to the statement. The service did not say how the Marine died or under what circumstances. It is unclear what operation the unit was conducting at the time of the incident.
HMLAT 303 is part of Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, also known as 3rd MAW, out of Camp Pendleton. The squadron, which has been in service since 1982, trains pilots on the UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z/W Viper, a utility helicopter and attack helicopter, respectively.
The Camp Pendleton Marine is the second to die in a garrison training environment in less than a week. On April 18, Sgt. Colin Arslanbas, a reconnaissance Marine with…
