CAMP PENDLETON — Fifteen Marines were injured and five were in critical condition at hospitals in Orange and San Diego counties, after an assault amphibious vehicle burst into flames during a training accident Wednesday morning, Sept. 13, at this seaside military base, officials said.
Marine Corps officials are investigating the cause of the accident that injured members of the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion. The accident is the second-largest multiple-injury incident in the last two years at the Marine Corps base.
Five other Marines are listed in serious condition, one in stable condition, and two have minor injuries, said 1st Lt. Paul Gainey. Two other Marines were being treated for unknown medical conditions.
The accident occurred around 9:33 a.m. in the San Mateo area of the base, during a pre-deployment readiness evaluation including the assault amphibious vehicle, Gainey said.
The armored full-track vehicles, known as amtracks, can transport as many as 20 Marines from sea to land. The vehicles, in operation since the 1970s, weigh more than 25 tons and are armed with a .50 caliber machine gun and a 40mm rapid fire grenade launcher. They can travel across land at 45 mph and can surf 10-foot waves.
In 2003, the Marine Corps announced plans to replace the assault vehicle with a proposed expeditionary fighting vehicle, as a way to transport a full Marine rifle squad to shore from an amphibious assault ship beyond the horizon faster and with more armor. In 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced plans to cancel the project.
Just two weeks ago, Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer visited the base and chatted with Marines from the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion, who showed off their amphibious vehicles and demonstrated maintenance. Typically, Marines spend 12 to 13 hours servicing the vehicles for one hour of operation.
During the tour, a 19-year-old private asked the secretary when a new version of the assault amphibious vehicle might be ready. Spencer told him a timeline was being put in place for an updated version called the Amphibious Combat Vehicle.
Wednesday’s accident was not the first involving an assault amphibious vehicle. Most recently, in 2013, Cpl. Nicholas Sell, of Oregon, was killed when the assault amphibious vehicle he was training in at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms also burst into flames. An investigation later revealed an igniting ordnance had caused the fire. Four other Marines were injured in the incident.
At Camp Pendleton, there have been at least two other large-scale accidents in recent years.
In 2015, one Marine died and 17 others were severely injured when a seven-ton truck rolled over driving back from the base following a training exercise.
In 2014, four explosive-ordnance-disposal Marines died during a training exercise on Zulu range.
Eight of the Marines injured Wednesday at Camp Pendleton were transported to the burn center at UC San Diego Medical Center, four were taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, one was being treated at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla and two other Marines were at the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital with minor injuries.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marines and their families as they receive medical care,” Gainey said.
