A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 has crashed into a field outside Greenwood, Mississippi, according to a tweet sent by the United States Marine Corps.

The plane was reportedly carrying eight or nine people, according to WNCN.

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Alan Hammons, an official at Greenwood Airport in Mississippi, told WNCN that the plane was tracked by air traffic controllers and suffered a “structural failure” at 20,000 feet.

Initial reports indicate that the plane came from the Naval Support Activity Mid-South Base located in Millington, Tennessee according to the Clarion Ledger.

The Lockheed Martin KC-130 is a four-engine turboprop military tanker aircraft used for aerial refueling. This variant of the C-130 is used by the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Marine Corps.

Firefighters are working to put out the fire in the field, which was sparked by the crash.

Officials did not have information on what caused the crash or where the flight originated.

The Governor of Mississippi, Phil Bryant, shared his prayers in a Facebook post shortly after the crash: </s> A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 Hercules aerial tanker has crashed in rural Mississippi. Local news coverage shows the plane as a totally destroyed burning hulk laying pancaked in a field. The mishap reportedly occurred sometime around 4:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST) near Greenwood, Mississippi, along a stretch of Highway 82 that runs near the boundary between the state's Leflore and Sunflower Counties. Initial reports were unclear as to who owned the aircraft, first identified only as a C-130 Hercules. The U.S. Marine Corps later confirmed on Twitter that one of its KC-130 aircraft was involved in the accident.

The official Tweet did not include any details, stating that "further information will be released as available." Later we found out that 16 souls were aboard the stricken aircraft and all perished in the crash.

The service did not specify whether the plane was an older KC-130T or a new KC-130J model and it was not immediately apparent what variant was involved from photographs and video. The Marines use these aircraft for mid-air refueling, as well as basic cargo hauling duties. There is a also a roll-on/roll-off kit that can transform the newer KC-130J models into armed weapons and surveillance platforms, called Harvest Hawks. An early report indicated that the aircraft had originally taken off from Naval Support Activity Mid-South Base situated in Millington, Tennessee, but this is unlikely as the facility does not have an airfield. However, it is located near Millington Regional Jetport, which had been a Naval Reserve base until 1993. Mississippi officials had not apparently confirmed the aircraft's point of origin as of around 7:00 PM CST, according to a story from local NBC affiliate WCNC.

As casualty counts became more defined, and rose well beyond the few Marines rumored to have been killed shortly after the crash, Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said in a post on Facebook: "Please join Deborah and me in praying for those hurting after this tragedy. Our men and women in uniform risk themselves every day to secure our freedom."

Though the Marine Corps has not released any details, the aircraft may have suffered a "structural failure" at 20,000, Alan Hammons, an official with Mississippi's Greenwood Airport, told local CBS affiliate WNCN. MSNewsNow, citing unnamed "investigators," said the presence of debris on both sides of Highway 82 suggested a mid-air explosion. Who those individuals would have been is unclear, however, since the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed it was not involved since the aircraft was property of the U.S. military. Other reports state the aircraft may have suffered an explosion mid air before it fell to the ground. We will update this story as more information becomes available. </s> Sixteen people are dead following a Marine Corps airplane crash in Mississippi, according to authorities at the crash site.

First responders said the C-130 left Memphis on Monday.

The plane crashed in Leflore County just off Highway 82 on Monday afternoon.

The plane is believed to have exploded in mid-air. Investigators said they found debris on both sides of the highway, leading them to believe an explosion happened prior to the crash.

A Mississippi State Trooper said the plane is loaded with ammunition, causing emergency workers to have to keep their distance.

"There's a lot of ammo in the plane. That's why we are keeping so far back. We just don't know what it'll do. It burns a bit then goes out, burns a little more then dies down," the trooper told WMC Action News 5 crews.

The United States Marine Corps confirmed the aircraft was a Marine aircraft.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant asked everyone to pray for those impacted by this tragedy.

“I am saddened by the terrible plane crash this evening in Mississippi that took the lives of five soldiers serving our country. My thoughts go out to the families of the deceased, and I hope for the survival of the others on board.”

This is a developing story. We will update this as more information becomes available. </s> CLOSE The military refueling plane crashed in a soybean field in rural Mississippi, killing at least 16 people. The local sheriff said, "Most of them are gonna be Marines." USA TODAY

Photo of video posted by Chris Nissen on Facebook showing black smoke coming from sight of plane crash in Mississippi. (Photo: Submitted by Chris Nissen)

Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misattributed a quote. Sheriff Ricky Banks said: "Most of them are gonna be Marines."

JACKSON, Miss. — A military refueling aircraft crashed Monday afternoon in a soybean field in Leflore County, killing at least 16 and leaving a debris field five miles in radius, officials said.

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Lee Smithson said the plane crashed on the Sunflower-Leflore county line.

Leflore County EMA Director Frank Randle confirmed that 16 are dead in the crash.

"Most of them are gonna be Marines," said Sheriff Ricky Banks. He could not confirm whether there were any civilians on the plane.

The U.S. Marine Corps Twitter account posted that "A USMC KC-130 mishap occurred the evening of July 10. Further information will be released as available."

A USMC KC-130 mishap occurred the evening of July 10. Further information will be released as available. pic.twitter.com/QEFhooJZmC — U.S. Marines (@USMC) July 11, 2017

Marine Corps spokeswoman Lt. Kristine Rascicot confirmed that the plane that crashes was a USMC KC-130, but said she was not able to release any more details.

Capt. Sarah Burns said in a statement that a Marine C-130 "experienced a mishap" Monday evening, echoing almost the exact language of the tweet.

A helicopter flies of the still-smoking crash site of a military plane near Moorehead Road in Itta Bena, Miss., July 10, 2017. (Photo: Elijah Baylis, The (Jackson, Miss.) Clarion-Ledger)

A KC-130 aircraft is an extended-range tanker version of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules that has been modified for aerial refueling.The C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop aircraft used primarily for military transportation. It's known as a workhorse used in refueling, humanitarian missions, firefighting, search and rescue, and combat missions, according to the Lockheed Martin website.

It wasn't clear Monday evening where the flight originated or where it was headed.

Leflore County deputy coroner Will Gnemi confirmed that his office was called to the accident scene. He said investigators were looking for other victims at the rural crash site, searching in a soybean field with tall vegetation.

Greenwood Fire Chief Marcus Banks told the Greenwood Commonwealth's Tim Kalich that the debris field was about five miles in radius.

Banks told the Commonwealth that the call came in around 4 p.m. An aircraft crash truck rushed to the scene, and 4,000 gallons of foam were used in an effort to put out the fire, he said.

Firefighters were driven away by several "high-intensity explosions," Banks told the Commonwealth, adding that they thought it was possibly some ammunition igniting.

The Commonwealth reported that the flight last contacted air traffic controllers at an elevation of about 20,000 feet.

"Please join Deborah and me in praying for those hurting after this tragedy," Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said in a statement on Facebook. "Our men and women in uniform risk themselves every day to secure our freedom."

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said the NTSB was not involved in the investigation because the plane was a military aircraft.

Contributing: Daniel Connolly, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal. Follow Therese Apel on Twitter: @TRex21

Related:

Read or Share this story: https://usat.ly/2ubUnq8 </s> (ABC News) — The U.S. Marine Corps confirmed that a Marine Corps KC-130 aircraft crashed in LeFlore County, Mississippi, on Monday.

According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, there are fatalities. The agency was uncertain where the aircraft was based.

Further details will come following next of kin notifications.

“A USMC KC-130 experienced a mishap the evening of July 10,” said Capt. Sarah Burns, a Marine Corps spokesperson. “Further information will be passed as available.”

Local authorities have provided contradictory information about the number of people believed to be killed and on board at the time of the crash. Figures have ranged from four to six dead and eight to nine on board the plane. </s> (Reuters) - At least 16 people were killed when a U.S. military plane crashed in rural Mississippi on Monday evening, a regional emergency management official said.

No official details were immediately available on the circumstances of the crash in northern Mississippi's LeFlore County, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Jackson, the state capital.

Captain Sarah Burns, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps, said only that a U.S. Marines KC-130 Hercules transport aircraft had "experienced a mishap," with news media initially reporting five confirmed deaths.

Several hours later, Fred Randle, LeFlore County director of emergency management, told Reuters that at least 16 people had perished. Randle gave no further details of the incident.

The incident was a "tragedy", Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said in a statement on social media site Facebook, but provided no details.

Images posted online by news organizations showed the crumpled wreckage of a plane engulfed in flames in a field surrounded by tall vegetation, with a large plume of smoke in the sky above the crash site.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Writing by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Steve Gorman and Clarence Fernandez) </s> A Marine Corps KC-130 transport aircraft crashed in LeFlore County, Miss., on July 10 at approximately 4 p.m. CDT, claiming the lives of 16 service members. 

 

 The flight originated from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. Federal Aviation Administration officials contacted the Marine Corps when the aircraft disappeared from air traffic control radar over Mississippi. The cause of the crash is unknown at this time; the incident is under investigation.

 

 The identities of the service members whose lives were lost in this tragic accident are being withheld to allow time for their loved ones to be notified. While the details of the incident are being investigated, our focus remains on providing the necessary resources and support to the family and friends of these service members as they go through this extremely difficult time. More information will be released as it becomes available.

 

 For more information, please contact Marine Forces Reserve Public Affairs at Phone: 504-256-8172 or mailto:mfrpao@usmc.mil </s> FEFLORE COUNTY, Miss. (WKRN) – At least four people died Monday evening after a U.S. Army plane crashed in Leflore County, Mississippi.

The plane has been identified as Lockheed C-130 Hercules, the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to WATN-TV.

The Hercules is a large, four-engine aircraft used for military transport by both the Army and Air Force.

Stay with News 2 and refresh this page for updates. </s> LEFLORE COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Several agencies are investigating a deadly United States Marine Corps (USMC) plane crash that happened in Leflore County on Monday afternoon.

Sixteen service members died when the plane went down in a field.

We’re told the flight itself did not originate from Cherry Point, North Carolina. But that leg of the Marine Corps KC-130 flight did start in North Carolina. Officials with the Marine Corps are working to notify the family members of those on board before releasing more details about the plane’s flight schedule.

According to the USMC, federal aviation officials say the aircraft disappeared from air traffic control radar. The cause of the crash remained under investigation Tuesday morning.

None of the 16 serve members killed have been identified. USMC officials are working to notify their families.

The Marine Corps issued a statement that says in part:

While the details of the incident are being investigated, our focus remains on providing the necessary resources and support to the family and friends of these service members as they go through this extremely difficult time.

Several state, local and national authorities have offered their condolences to the families of the service members.

President Donald Trump also issued a statement offering condolences to the families of the sixteen service members who were killed.

We will continue following this story throughout the day. Stay with WJTV 12 as we get you answers on the investigation from Leflore County. </s> Five U.S. Marines who were missing and declared dead after a collision involving a fighter jet and another military plane off the coast of Japan last week were identified Wednesday. The Marines said that circumstances of the accident are still under investigation.

"It is with heavy hearts that we announce the names of our fallen Marines," Marine Corps Lt. Col. Mitchell T. Maury said in a statement. Maury is the commander of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, to which the five Marines were assigned.

"They were exceptional aviators, Marines, and friends whom will be eternally missed. Our thoughts and prayers remain with their families and loved ones at this extremely difficult time," he said.

Seven Marines were involved and six of those died in the accident that occurred when a KC-130 refueling aircraft carrying five crew members and an F/A-18 fighter jet carrying two others collided. Both aircraft crashed into the sea about 200 miles off the coast on Dec. 6.

Two Marines were rescued after the crash, one of whom, Capt. Jahmar Resilard of Miramar, Florida, later died. The Marine who survived was treated and released from the hospital, Marines spokesman Capt. Christopher Harrison said Wednesday.

The five Marines who were missing and declared dead were identified Wednesday as: Col. Kevin R. Herrmann, 38, of New Bern, North Carolina; James M. Brophy, 36, of Staatsburg, New York; Staff Sgt. Maximo A. Flores, 27, of Surprise, Arizona; Daniel E. Baker, 21, of Tremont, Illinois; and William C. Ross, 21, of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

The Marines will make every effort to salvage the aircraft and recover the bodies of the missing Marines, Maj. Eric Flanagan said in an email Wednesday.

"Every possible effort was made to recover our crew and I hope the families of these selfless Americans will find comfort in the incredible efforts made by U.S., Japanese, and Australian forces during the search," Lt. Gen. Eric M. Smith, commander of U.S. Marine Forces Japan, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon local time (Monday night ET).

The Marine Corps previously confirmed that the aircraft, both of which were assigned to units of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Yamaguchi, Japan, were conducting a training mission when the accident occurred.

Herrmann served 16 years in the Marine Corps and was promoted to lieutenant colonel posthumously. He is survived by his wife and three daughters, the Marines said.

Brophy served 12 years in the Marines and is survived by his wife, son and daughter; Flores served nine years and is survived by his wife; Baker served two years and is survived by his parents; and Ross also served two years and is survived by his mother and father, the Marine Corps said.

Aerial refueling was part of the training mission, but it is unclear whether that was ongoing at the time of the accident, Flanagan said.
A United States Marine Corps Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft carrying sixteen people has crashed near the American town of Greenwood, Mississippi. All sixteen bodies have been recovered.