The Marines on Sunday called off search and rescue operations for seven Marines and a sailor who were in an amphibious assault vehicle that sank off the shores of San Clemente Island near San Diego, CBS News reports. All are presumed dead.
Eight Marines were rescued from the sinking craft, but one, identified as Marine Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, died later at a while on board a rescue ship. Two others are listed in critical condition at an on-shore hospital.
The AAV was transferring the personnel from San Clemente Island to a Navy vessel offshore when it started to take on water and rapidly sank, official say.
The Marines were members of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County.
This is the deadliest training accident for the Marines in years, and the first deadly incident involving an AAV. All the military personnel lost in this incident were 23-years-old or younger.