Marine Corps cargo aircraft crashes in Mississippi, killing 16 on-board

A Marine Corps cargo plane often used for hauling fuel and supplies crashed in western Mississippi Monday night, killing at least 16 people, local officials said. Fred Randle, director of emergency management for LeFlore County, said 16 bodies have been recovered from the crash site. In a brief statement, the Marines said that a “KC-130 experienced a mishap the evening of July 10.” No other information was provided. In an email, Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns confirmed that the statement correlated to the crash in Mississippi.
Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Lee Smithson told the Clarion-Ledger that the aircraft crashed on the Leflore-Sunflower county line, a rural stretch of woods and fields with dense underbrush and vegetation about 85 miles north of Jackson. Earlier, Sheriff Ricky Banks told the Ledger that five of the crew members were confirmed dead. It is unclear where the plane took off from.
The KC-130 is a four-engine propeller-driven aircraft that is a variant of the Cold War-era C-130 Hercules. The plane can be configured to refuel aircraft in midair or equipment on the ground. It can also haul troops and equipment and in some cases carry an array of weapons.