. >>> GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING

US. I'M CATHERINE

GARCIA. >> AND I'M OMARI FLEMMING

IN FOR

MARK MULLEN. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH THE SEARCH

FOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY

DISAPPEARING FROM A DEADLY

TRAINING ACCIDENT.

HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT

ACCIDENT. AROUND 5:45 YESTERDAY EVENING AN

AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT VEHICLE WAS

TRAVELING

TRAVELING FROM SAN

CLEMENTE. ONLY EIGHT MARINES WERE RESCUED,

ONE OF THEM UNFORTUNATELY DIED,

TWO ARE CRITICAL AND FIVE

ARE BACK ONBOARD THE NAVY SHIPS.

THE COMMANDANT EXPRESSED HIS

CONDOLENCES

TODAY. >> I'D LIKE TO OFFER

AEROMOST

HEARTFELT PRAYERS TO IF FAMILIES

OF OUR MARINES AND SAILORS.

I'VE DIRECTED A SUSPENSION UNTIL

THE CAUSAL FACTORS OF THIS

MISHAP ARE BETTER

UNDERSTOOD. ALL AAVs ACROSS THE FLEET

WILL BE

INSPECTED. >> THE NAMES OF THE MARINES

INVOLVED IN THE INCIDENT

HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED

AT THIS POINT, AND THE MARINE CORP IS

CONDUCTING AS YOU WOULD EXPECT A

FULL INVESTIGATION INTO ALL OF

THIS. WE SHOULD POINT OUT THIS IS

NOT THE FIRST TIME AN

ACCIDENT LIKE THIS HAS

HAPPENED. A DEADLY ACCIDENT

IN 2011 INVOLVED AN AAV THAT SANK

AT OCEAN SIDE HARBOR AND ONE

MARINE WAS

KILLED. AND WE ARE GIVING YOU

INSIGHT TONIGHT ABOUT THAT

TRAINING ACCIDENT FROM A FORMER AAV

SERGEANT. >> HE SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE

MARINE RESERVE WHICH INCLUDED AN

IRAQ WAR TOUR

IN AN AMPHIBIOUS

ASSAULT

VEHICLE. LIKE MOST OF

US HE WANTS TO KNOW HOW

IT ALL HAPPENED. HE SHARED HIS EXPERTISE

TONIGHT WITH DAVE

SUMMERS. >> DID YOU EVER HAVE A

CLOSE CALL WHILE YOU WERE WORKING WITH

AAV

s? >> I NEVER FELT MY LIFE WAS IN

DANGER OR ANYONE'S LIFE WAS IN

DANGER. >> YOU'RE KIND OF

TRAPPED BACK THERE AND IT'S LOUD AND YOU'VE

GOT A LOT OF EQUIPMENT AROUND

YOU. >> NOT GREAT TO BE BACK THERE.

THERE'S NO

WINDOWS. YOU CAN'T REALLY SEE

WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THE ENGINE IS

LOUD AND IT SMELLS. THERE'S THE FUMES THAT GO BACK

IN

THERE. >> WHEN YOU'RE BACK THERE ON THE

WATER IS THERE ANY ESCAPE? >> THE BEST WAYS TO

ESCAPE WOULD

BE THROUGH THE COMMANDERS

HATCH. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

13 PEOPLE BACK THERE

FILING THROUGH THAT, WHICH COULD BE

DONE CERTAINLY IN LESS THAN A

MINUTE BUT TO A

POINT. >> SO WHEN THIS THING STARTS

TAKING ON WATER WHAT IS THE

RESULT? >> IT'S INTENDED TO TAKE

ON WATER AND BE ABLE TO PUMP IT

OUT FASTEN THAN IT TAKES IT ON.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN GO

WRONG.

THERE ARE FOUR HOLE PLUGS ON THE

BOTTOM OF THE

VEHICLE. AND IF ONE

OF THOSE HOLE

PLUGS ARE MISSING AND YOU GO

INTO THE WATER WELL YOU'RE GOING TO

TAKE ON WATER REALLY

FAST. HAD THERE BEEN A MECHANICAL

FAILURE YOU'D TYPICALLY HAVE

ENOUGH TIME TO GET EVERYONE

OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND GET THEM ON

TOP. MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE

FAMILIES. YOU DON'T WANT TO

LOSE A

TROOP ANY TIME AND YOU