US Marines die as helicopters crash

Seven US Marines were killed when two helicopters collided during night training exercises near the border of California and Arizona.

"We're still gathering a lot of details," said Lt Maureen Dooley of the Miramar Air Base in California yesterday. She said helicopter teams trained in the area because it was similar to conditions in Afghanistan.

Lt Dooley said she could not confirm whether the crash on Wednesday night was a result of technical or pilot error.

It is one of several accidents in the past year involving Marine Corps training in southern California. In September, a helicopter went down at Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, killing two Marines.