WACO (October 30, 2009)—Danny Ray Kreder II, 22, of Elm Mott, was among the personnel aboard a U.S. Coast Guard C-130 Hercules that crashed off the California coast after a midair collision with a U.S. Marine Corps AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter, family members confirmed Friday.

Kreder graduated from Connally High School in 2005.

A massive search for survivors was focused on a debris field Friday 50 miles offshore from San Diego.

There were seven people aboard the Coast Guard plane and the helicopter had a two-person crew.

"We're still in a search and rescue phase; our thoughts and our prayers are with the families, with the friends and with the shipmates of the people we continue to look for,” Coast Guard
Rear Adm. Joseph Castillo said earlier Friday.

But later in the day, hope began to fade that any of the missing would be found alive.

Defense Department spokesman Bryan Whitman said all nine had likely died.

The helicopter and the transport plane collided Thursday evening off the coast of Southern California.

The Coast Guard aircraft was involved in a search and rescue mission at the time of the collision, officials said.

A Marine Corps spokesman said the attack helicopter was one of four that were flying in formation to deliver Marines to San Clemente Island for training.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the collision occurred minutes after control of the Coast Guard C-130 was handed off from FAA controllers to military air controllers.