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Minnesota Marine Missing After Helicopters Collide In Hawaii

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A Minnesota family is asking for prayers for a missing United States Marine.

Sergeant Dillon Semolina grew up in Delano and graduated from the town's high school. Relatives say the 24-year-old is among a dozen Marines missing after a helicopter crash off Oahu where he is stationed.

Two helicopters somehow collided during a training mission in Hawaii late Thursday night. Witnesses heard an explosion, then saw a fireball. Searchers found an empty life raft and debris in the choppy water.

Sgt Dillon Semolina
Sgt. Dillon Semolina in 2014 (credit: CBS)

Semolina's family says he's the crew chief for a CH53E Super Stallion helicopter. That's the kind involved in last night's crash.

Semolina's parents live in Bloomington now.

If you would like to help, you can donate to a GoFundMe page set up for the family.

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