Rain Suspends Search For Pilots

Rain halted a search today for two U.S. Marine pilots missing after their jet crashed into the Yellow Sea between China and South Korea.

The Marines’ FA-18d Hornet crashed during a routine training mission Sunday, said Jim Coles, spokesman for the U.S. military command in Seoul. The search was suspended at dusk Sunday and then resumed today before the weather forced its suspension.

The missing officers were identified as Capt. Mark R. Nickles from the Phoenix area of Arizona, and Maj. Danny A. D’Eredita of Syracuse, N.Y.

The jet was over Korea with another FA-18d jet when it went down in the sea off Taean, 60 miles southwest of Seoul, Coles said.

Both jets are assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps air base in Iwakuni in southeastern Japan. The other jet landed safely at Osan Air Base, south of Seoul.