Two Marines dead, 17 injured after military vehicle crash near Camp Lejeune
Two Marines died and 17 others were injured on Wednesday after a military vehicle crashed near Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
The Marines who died were pronounced dead on the scene, the 2nd Marine Logistics Group said in a news release on the accident Wednesday night. The names of the deceased are being withheld for 24 hours.
Of the 17 who were injured in the crash, 15 were transported to a medical center at Camp Lejeune and are in stable condition. Two patients who were taken to New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington are in critical condition, according to the press release.
All casualties in the crash were members of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group and the Marine Expeditionary Force at the Marine Corps Base in Camp Lejeune.
"2nd Marine Logistics Group will continue to support local authorities in the aftermath of this accident," the group wrote in the release. "Our unit is grateful to all first responders that provided aid to our service members."
Earlier in the day, the 2nd Marine Logistics Group said it was aware of a vehicle rollover involving service members.
"We are aware of a vehicle rollover in Jacksonville, North Carolina, involving service members with 2nd MLG. We are working closely with @camp_lejeune and Onslow County officials to gather details regarding this incident," read a tweet from the unit from 2:24 p.m.
About an hour later, the unit confirmed "multiple casualties as a result of this incident," and said it would share more information on Twitter as it became available.
The incident occurred at around 1 p.m., local NBC affiliate WITN reported. According to the outlet, a seven-ton Marine truck with 19 service members on board lost control on a highway while making a right turn.
Marines were thrown from the truck as a result.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
In a news conference, North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed that two Marines died as a result of the crash, and two other Marines were taken to a local hospital, according to local news station WNCT.
North Carolina Highway Patrol and Camp Lejeune military police are leading the investigation into the crash, WNCT reported.
Updated: 9:22 p.m.
