The U.S. military said Tuesday that five missing crew members have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japan's southern coast, and that search and recovery operations have ended after finding only one survivor. Smith said the KC-130’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders had not been located, “making it premature to speculate about wreckage recovery.”

Search operations, which also included vessels from the Self-Defense Forces, the Japan Coast Guard and the Australian military, began almost immediately after the KC-130 tanker plane collided with an F/A-18 fighter jet in midair during routine training early Thursday. 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. Two marines from the fighter jet were rescued on the day of the crash, but one later was pronounced dead. “Support from the Japan Self Defense Forces and Coast Guard was immediate and life-saving, and I thank them for their professionalism, dedication and robust support throughout this massive operation.”

The U.S. Marines said the cause of the crash is currently under investigation, but noted that it is unclear whether aerial refueling was underway when the accident occurred. “The change in status comes at the conclusion of search and rescue operations.”

The identities of the Marines have not been released, but the Marine Corps said their next of kin have been notified. The Marines earlier identified the dead pilot of the F/A-18 as Capt. 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.
Five U.S. Marines who were missing after two aircraft collided mid-air off the coast of Japan on December 6 are declared dead.