Military: 2 soldiers' bodies recovered from helicopter wreck

ByCAIN BURDEAU and MELISSA NELSON-GABRIEL AP logo

Thursday, March 12, 2015

VIDEO: Dense fog delays search for 11 killed in Black Hawk crash

More heavy fog, rain and rough surf complicated Thursday's efforts to collect the remains of seven Marines and four soldiers whose Black Hawk helicopter crashed.

NAVARRE, Fla. -- The Louisiana National Guard says the bodies of two soldiers have been recovered from a helicopter wreck off the Florida coast.

A news release from the Guard on Thursday says the bodies of two others are believed to still be inside the wreckage.

The release says officials cannot confirm the other two soldiers are inside until a salvage crew is able to recover the aircraft.

Divers found the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed amid dense fog during a Florida training mission, killing 11 Marines and soldiers. But continuing bad weather Thursday prevented the recovery of the flight recorder from wreckage 25 feet deep.

The Guard soldiers were based in Hammond, Louisiana. They have not yet been identified.